


What About Us

by OlicityAddicted



Series: And She Will Be Loved [3]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Car Accidents, Comfort, Engagement, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, False Accusations, Felicity has a violent ex boyfriend, Fluff, I repeat... there's ANGST, Kidnapping, Marriage Proposal, Minor Injuries, Oliver is arrested, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pregnancy, Protective Oliver Queen, Psychological Trauma, Rescue, Sequel, Short prison storyline, Smut, Threats of Violence, Wedding, trial
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-09-17 14:23:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 29
Words: 72,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16976235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OlicityAddicted/pseuds/OlicityAddicted
Summary: Sequel to And She Will Be Loved.Three years after the events that brought them together, Oliver and Felicity's past comes back to haunt them. With people working against them, Oliver risks losing his family forever if they won't find a solution in time.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Important note:** You have to read "And She Will Be Loved" first to understand this fic!
> 
> I promised I was going to write a sequel, and I did! The initial plan was a 5/6 chapters story, around 10K words but... things got out of hand and it became a monster of 29 chapters of 70K words!
> 
> I've already written the entire story, so just like I did last time, I'm going to post a chapter every day.
> 
> I think it's a pretty interesting story and I'm really proud of it. I hope you'll all like it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
> 
> Without further ado, enjoy!

The elevator doors opened, and Oliver made his way to the apartment.

It had been a long day at work, the investors wanted more from him now that the company was doing great, and the days never seemed to end as he had to work a few extra hours every day.

Now, all he wanted to do was relax and spend some time with his family.

Oliver unlocked the door and, before even stepping in, he heard Ellie's shout.

"Mommy! Daddy is home!"

With a smile, Oliver opened the door and entered the living room. He barely had the time to put his briefcase on the floor, his jacket on top of it, when he saw Ellie running to him.

"Daddy!" She jumped, and he caught her with ease, making her fly in the air. Ellie laughed, and it made him laugh too. Oliver held her against his side and kissed the top of her head.

"Hi, baby girl." He whispered. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, daddy." She told him as she hugged him tightly, her face pressed against his neck.

Oliver loved these moments when Ellie hugged him as if he was her anchor to this world. Every day that passed she looked more and more like her mother, and not only her facial features. The way she talked animatedly, how she frowned a little when she focused doing something, the expressions on her face as she looked at him. How much she loved him.

Oliver never got tired of that.

"How was your day? You've been good to mommy?" Oliver asked her as he walked to the kitchen.

"Yes! I am the nicest kid ever!" She yelled in his ear, and he laughed.

"Why don't we ask mommy that?"

They entered the kitchen, and Felicity turned to look at them, a smile appeared on her face. She turned off the stove and cleaned her hands on a towel, making her way to them.

"Hi." She said before giving him a peck on the lips.

"Hi." He whispered lovingly.

Oliver craved for these moments when it was just the three of them. For the entire day, all he wanted to do was to hug them and be surrounded by their love. More importantly, he wanted to surround them with his love.

His girlfriend and their daughter.

Ever since he officially adopted her, three years ago, it gave him a sense of peace every time he called Ellie his daughter. They might not share the same blood, but they were father and daughter in every other way. Ellie was a daddy-girl, everyone knew it. She loved her mother like crazy, but she had a soft spot for Oliver. And he'd do anything she asked just to make her happy.

And Felicity... There was not a day when he didn't love her. She made a lot of progress since the first time they met. She wasn't afraid of meeting new people, she didn't flinch when someone approached her from behind, and she didn't get a panic attack when someone knocked on the door. Their relationship developed into something beautiful, something unique, and it became the best thing that happened to him.

Both Felicity and Ellie were the best things that ever happened to him.

With matching smiles, they turned their attention to their daughter.

"So, mommy, was Ellie a good girl today?" He asked.

"Well… If you consider writing on the walls a good behavior, then yes, she was a good girl." She said, with a pointed look at Ellie.

"But the wall was sooo boring, it needed colors!" She defended herself. "Now it's so pretty."

Oliver chuckled. "Well... there will be consequences for what you did. Consequences like... a tickle attack!" He started to tickle Ellie, making her giggle.

"Daddy!" She laughed harder when he didn't stop, and Felicity joined her.

Oliver loved when he made them laugh.

“Stop, daddy!”

"Alright." Oliver said and stopped his torture. "I think that's enough." He put her down. "Why don't you go wash your hands so we can eat?"

"Yes!" She yelled and ran to the bathroom.

"No running in the house!" Oliver said after her. "You can get hurt."

"I know, daddy."

With a shake of his head and a sigh, he turned to Felicity. "Hey."

"Hey, you." She responded as their arms wrapped around each other. "Tired?"

"Yeah. But not too much for my girls." Oliver said with a smile.

He leaned down and kissed her properly. As soon as their lips touched, Oliver felt himself relax, the long exhausting day already forgotten. When they pulled apart, Felicity smiled up at him and he smiled back.

"And your work day? How was it?" He asked her and noticed the dark circles under her eyes. "You look tired."

"I am, but.. today was good. Walter and the investors were really happy with my last project, so I was able to finish sooner. Ellie and I came home, and we spent some mother-daughter time together." She said with a smile.

"And she painted on the walls?" He asked with an amused grin.

"Yes. But luckily she has a thoughtful father who insisted on buying washable sharpies, so..." Felicity told him.

"Well, I know how enthusiastic our daughter can get when she starts to draw."

"Yeah." Felicity confirmed, and they both laughed.

They still remembered that time when Ellie put 'make-up' on Oliver's face while he was sleeping. He went to work with red lips and green eyeshadow for almost three days. Hence the washable sharpies.

"So, what's for dinner?" Oliver asked.

"I made pasta." Felicity replied with a satisfied grin.

"Nice... is it edible this time?" He asked with a barely hidden smirk.

"Hey!" Felicity playfully hit him in the chest. "It happened just one time... or three."

"Six, but who's counting?"

"You're unbelievable." She said under her breath, but he heard her and they both smiled. "Check the tomato sauce, please."

Oliver rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, washed his hands and grabbed a spoon. He tasted the sauce, careful to not burn his tongue.

"What do you say?" Felicity asked, looking at him expectantly.

"I say... seventh time's a charm." He smiled at her. "Just a little bit of salt and it's perfect." He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

"Yesss." She said, raising a fist in victory, and Oliver chuckled.

Ellie came back, and she sat on her chair. "Daddy?" She called him, wiggling her finger to him, asking him to get closer.

With a smile, he made his way to her and got down on one knee in front of her. "Yes, sweetheart?"

"Does it taste good this time?" Ellie whispered to him. "Or it's bad like that time you had a tummy ache?"

"I think we're safe this time." Oliver whispered back.

"I heard you." Felicity said as she put their plates on the table.

"We don't know what you're talking about." He told her and winked at Ellie, making her giggle.

"Alright." Felicity said in defeat, a small smile playing on her lips. "Sit down and eat before it gets cold."

They started to eat, and Oliver looked at Ellie. "So... what is it that you draw on the wall?"

"I draw a vili... vigli... vi-gi-lan-te." She said, butchering the word.

"Oh, really? You know what that is?" He asked raising his eyebrows.

"Yes! Mommy says it's a hero." Ellie responded proudly.

"And which hero did you draw?"

"Robin Hood!"

Oliver looked at Felicity, and she shrugged. "I might have mentioned that you used to... _play_... with bow and arrows like Robin Hood."

"And you are our hero, daddy! I wanted to have you on my wall, but I couldn't do it, so I drew him because it's easier." Ellie smiled up at him.

Oliver stared at the innocence reflected in his daughter's eyes. She had no idea of the things he did on the island, or Hong Kong or Russia. She had no idea that he actually killed using a bow and arrow, and he hoped she'll never know about it.

But her calling him a hero, _their hero_... that made him tear up. The idea of not having her and Felicity in his life was unthinkable, and even if they found each other through an unpleasant situation, he wouldn't trade that for anything in the world.

With a steadying breath, Oliver ran his hand through Ellie's long hair. "I love you, baby girl." He whispered to her.

"I love you too, daddy." She smiled up at him, then looked at Felicity. "And I love you, mommy."

"I love you, Ellie." She replied with a smile. Felicity looked at him.

"I love you." They said at the same time.

"We all love each other!" Ellie screamed, making them laugh.

After that, they finished eating their dinner, the conversation light and they were all happy. After cleaning up, Ellie insisted to show him her version of Robin Hood, which was basically a green stick figure, then they stayed on the couch until it was time to go to bed for Ellie.

"Hey, sweetheart, why don't you get your pj's and then I tell you a story?" Oliver said to her.

"Okay." Ellie said as she stood from the couch.

"Do you want me to help you?" Felicity asked.

"Mommy, I am _four_ years old. I am like a grown up!" Ellie said as if it was the most obvious thing ever. "I can put on my pj's." She said as she went to her bedroom.

With matching chuckles, Oliver and Felicity held each other on the couch, his hand running over her arm as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Robin Hood, uh?" He said. "I think you two watched that cartoon one time too many."

"Are you kidding me? Watching Robin Hood and Little John interact is like watching you and Digg banter about something." Felicity said with a smile.

Oliver chuckled and shook his head in amusement.

"Hey, uh..." Felicity started, a glint in her eye as her hand lazily ran over his chest. "After you put Ellie to bed, do you think we could-"

A knock at the door interrupted her. They both groaned.

"Already being cockblocked, apparently." Oliver sighed and made to stand.

"Wait, you're tired. I'll go get it." Felicity said, and she stood after giving him a peck on the lips. He watched as she checked the peephole and opened the door with a frown.

"Quentin, hi."

Oliver had no idea why the man would show up at their door at this hour.

"Hi, Felicity." Lance said. "Is Oliver here?" He asked and Oliver noticed the grim tone of his voice.

He stood from the couch and made his way to them, Felicity looked at him in confusion.

"Quentin," he stopped next to Felicity, "is everything alright?" He asked as he noticed two police agents behind the man.

"No, Oliver. I'm afraid not." Lance looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but there.

"What's going on?" Felicity asked concerned.

"Oliver... you have to come with us."

Felicity grabbed his hand, and he felt how a shiver ran through her body.

"Why?" Oliver asked warily.

"You're under arrest... for the murder of Cooper Seldon." Quentin said with a sigh.

"What?" Felicity exclaimed.

"Quentin... it happened three years ago, and it was self-defense, you said it yourself." Oliver tried to reason with him.

"I know, but... someone has reported on you, and apparently they want to reopen the case."

Oliver heard Felicity talking but he couldn't understand the words.

For more than three years they tried to forget the horrors the man put them through. Especially Felicity had needed that time to overcome all of her fears and doubts. They thought it was finally over...

"Please, don't make this harder than it already is." Quentin said, bringing him back to the present.

"But, Quentin-" Felicity started, and Oliver turned to her.

"Hey, Felicity, look at me." Oliver cradled her face in his hands. "It's going to be okay. I'll go and see what this is about, alright?"

Felicity was scared, he could see it in her eyes as tears started to roll down her face. Oliver hugged her and kissed the side of her head.

"It's going to be okay, Felicity." He repeated. "Whatever it is we'll get through it."

"Daddy?"

He looked behind him and saw Ellie staring at them. She was wearing her pj's, her hands tightly gripped the white teddy bear he bought her years ago. She looked so small and terrified that Oliver's chest constricted.

"Captain Lance, we have to go." One of the agents said.

"Give them a moment." He replied sternly.

"But-"

"I said a moment." Quentin insisted.

With another kiss, Oliver pulled away from Felicity and kneeled in front of Ellie, his hands rested on both of her arms. He felt her tremble as she kept glancing at the men in uniform at the door, and he gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

"It's okay, sweetheart. You remember Quentin, right?" He indicated the man, who gave her a small smile.

"He's your friend." Ellie answered him.

"That's right, he's my friend. I need to go with him, to talk." He explained.

"But he talks to bad people." She frowned in worry and looked at Lance. "My daddy is not bad." She told him with conviction.

"Ellie, listen to me." Oliver asked for her attention again. "It's going to be okay. I need you to stay with mommy and be a good girl, okay? Can you do that for me?"

"You said you were going to tell me a story." The small voice in which she spoke brought a pain in his chest.

"I will, baby girl. Just not tonight." Her lower lip trembled, and he hugged her tightly, her face pressed against his neck as he stood with her in his arms. "How about auntie Thea and uncle Roy tell you a story tonight?" Oliver proposed looking at Felicity, who nodded.

"Okay." Ellie sniffled.

He put her in her mother's arms and kissed the top of Ellie's head, then did the same with Felicity.

"Call John too, and it's going to be okay." He repeated as he let go of them, and made his way to the door.

Oliver saw one of the agents grab a pair of handcuffs, but Quentin stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"They're not necessary, Officer Parks."

"But, Captain-"

"He won't just run away. He won't leave his family like that." He said with conviction. "And we certainly won't handcuff him in front of them." He whispered.

With a reluctant nod, the agent put away the handcuffs, and Oliver nodded at Lance in thanks.

"Let's go, son." He said with a grimace.

Oliver looked back at his family again. Felicity was still holding a crying Ellie, matching scared expressions on their faces.

"I'll be back soon." He said, just before the other agent wrapped a hand around his arm and pulled him away, closing the door behind him.

Oliver just hoped the last thing he told them wasn't going to be a lie.

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was the first chapter! Let me know if you liked it and if you're interested in what will come next.
> 
> English is not my language, so if there's any mistake, feel free to inform me.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I didn't expect such a response to the first chapter! I'm glad to see people are still interested in the story of Oliver, Felicity and Ellie.
> 
> A little note before starting the chapter. _And She Will Be Loved_ was written entirely by Oliver's POV, and it worked because he was almost always near Felicity and Ellie, so there was no need to see other POVs. In this fic, however, they're going to be in different places sometimes, so I decided to write this in a different way.
> 
> I hope you'll enjoy it!

As soon as the door closed, Felicity grabbed her phone and texted Thea.

_We need you._

In a second she received a reply.

_Okay, we’re on our way. Is everything alright?_

Felicity debated whether to answer or not. She couldn't tell her like this that her brother just got arrested, but she also couldn't tell her that everything was okay, and not answering at all wasn't an option.

_We're fine, but something happened._

_We'll be there in five._

Felicity also sent a text to John, and he was on his way too.

She put the phone down and sat on the couch. Ellie was still silently crying in her arms, and she wasn't doing any better. She held her daughter close to her chest and ran a comforting hand through her soft hair.

_This can't be happening._

That's what played on repeat in her head. They were finally over Cooper. It took them years, and a lot of heavy conversations, but they finally made it. And now the ghost of him was back in their lives to haunt them.

"Mommy..." Ellie sniffled against her shoulder.

"Yes, sweetheart?" She whispered.

"Did daddy have to go... did he go because it was bad to draw on the wall?"

Felicity held Ellie tightly. How she wished that was their biggest problem at the moment. "No, sweetheart. It had nothing to do with your drawing."

"Then why?" Ellie asked.

Felicity couldn't tell her the real reason. She wasn't even sure of what that was about.

After Oliver stopped Cooper, Lance questioned them, and he said the case was closed. All of the evidence the police had confirmed their version, that Oliver killed Cooper in self-defense. Now someone wanted to reopen the case, three years later.

Her head was spinning.

Before Felicity had the chance to come up with an answer for Ellie, someone knocked on the door. She stood, ignoring how the room swayed in front of her eyes. She still held Ellie, not wanting to leave her alone, and went to check who was it.

Felicity opened the door. It took only two seconds for Thea to assess the situation and hug mother and daughter. As soon as her arms were around the both of them, Felicity's walls started to crumble, so she immediately pulled away.

"I can't lose it in front of her." She whispered, and Thea nodded in understanding.

"Where's Ollie?" She asked as Roy closed the door behind them.

"Roy, do you mind reading a story to Ellie? It's getting late, and she needs to sleep." Felicity told him.

"Of course."

"No, I want to wait for daddy to come back." Ellie said pulling away from her and dried her cheeks with the sleeves of her pj’s.

"Honey, please. Daddy asked you to be a good girl, right?" Felicity said to her.

"Yes..." She said hesitantly.

"You want to make your dad proud of you, don't you?" Roy asked her, and Ellie firmly nodded.

Thea took a step closer to them. "I think that if you go to sleep as your mommy says he'll be proud of you."

They watched as she thought about their words until Roy opened his arms to her. "Come on, kiddo. I'll tell you funny stories about your auntie Thea."

"'Kay." She responded with a small smile and kissed Felicity's cheek. "Goodnight, mommy."

Felicity tightened her hold for a few moments and kissed her daughter a couple of times. She really didn't want to get away from her, even if she was just going to be in the next room, but she needed to talk to Thea without being heard from Ellie.

"Goodnight, sweetheart. I love you."

"I love you too." Ellie said as she reached for Roy.

She watched as they went to her bedroom and the door quietly closed behind them, so they could talk.

There was another knock at the front door.

"That's John." Felicity said, answering the door.

"Hey, your message sounded serious." He said as he entered the apartment. "What's going on?"

Felicity took a deep breath and looked at the both of them.

"Quentin arrested Oliver." She barely got out.

Thea's eyebrows shot up, and her mouth hung open in shock. "What?"

"Did he say why?" John asked with concern.

"For killing Cooper." The name left a sour taste in her mouth.

_I'll never stop!_

His last words replayed in her head over and over again. She couldn't believe how true those words were.

Everything he ever said to her, every kiss, every touch, every threat, every hit... they all flashed in her mind like a movie.

She wanted to forget them, to run away from all of that, but all she could see was his evil smiling face in front of her.

"Felicity!"

With some difficulty, she opened her eyes and breathed heavily. For a moment she thought it was all a dream. Cooper's actions and Oliver's arrest. A nightmare. How she wished it was all just a nightmare.

Felicity looked around and saw John watching her with a worried expression, his hands cradling her face, as Thea kneeled next to her, holding her hands. She was laying on the floor, a weird feeling in her arms and legs as the room kept spinning.

"What happened?" Her voice trembled.

"You fainted." Thea said with concern.

For a few moments, she laid there looking at them, then Felicity tried to sit, but John held her still with gentle hands. "You should stay down and just breathe."

She shook her head. "I can't... Ellie needs me, I-"

"Ellie is fine, she fell asleep as soon as she touched the pillow." Roy said somewhere near her, out of her sight.

"Listen, Felicity." John spoke to her in a soft voice. "If you want to move, I'll help you to get on the couch. But I need you to stay calm and keep breathing, okay?"

She weakly nodded at him. John picked her up as if she weighed nothing, and made her lay on the couch, but she shook her head.

"I need to sit. We have to talk."

"Felicity..." He warned her.

"I'm fine, I promise. You need to know what happened and I have to focus." She insisted.

With a sigh, John helped her sit, and he took a few steps back crossing his arms. Roy sat on the armchair in front of her, while Thea sat on the couch next to her, taking hold of her hand, and Felicity was grateful for her support.

"Lance showed up at our door with two agents. He said that Oliver needed to go with them because he was under arrest for Cooper's murder."

"But that was years ago." John pointed out.

"I know, and that's what we told them. But someone has reported on Oliver, and they want to reopen the case. With the accuse of murder instead of self-defense." Felicity explained to all of them.

Thea shook her head. "I can't believe Quentin arrested him."

"He didn't want to, that was clear on his face. He was just doing his job."

"Kiddo saw the cops take away her father?" Roy asked with concern.

"No. I mean, Ellie thinks he went with them just to talk, willingly. The agents wanted to handcuff him, but Lance prevented that."

"Well, that's something." John said.

"We need to go to the precinct." Felicity stated. "I have to know what-"

"You're not going anywhere."

"No, John, I-"

"Need to stay here. What if Ellie wakes up and both of her parents aren't here?" He tried to reason with her.

He was right, Felicity knew that, but she also needed to know what was going on, who accused Oliver and how bad it was. She hated mysteries.

"Listen, I'll go to the precinct." John told her. "You, Thea and Roy stay here for Ellie. I'll call you when I know something. Okay?"

Felicity knew there was no way to change his mind, so she gave him an accepting nod.

John stepped closer to her and kissed the top of her head. "It's going to be okay."

She was starting to hate those words. She just wanted Oliver home, with her and Ellie.

John left without another word, and Thea's phone rang. "It's Verdant. We left the new guy alone, he probably needs some help." She said.

"Of course, guys. Go, I can-"

"Like hell I'm leaving you alone." Thea told her firmly as she squeezed her hand.

"I'll go." Roy said getting up. "Call me when you have news."

"Okay." Thea answered him as he left.

For a long time, they didn't say a word. Thea's hand in hers was a comforting weight that kept her focused on the here and now, instead of letting her spiral down in the dark memories that for years she had tried so hard to forget.

"You can talk to me." Thea whispered to her.

Felicity knew that. When she opened up to Thea about her past, the girl listened, and they talked a lot. She never judged and was able to give her a different point of view on a couple of matters. There were things so delicate that she wasn't comfortable to talk to Oliver about, no matter how much she trusted him or how much they were close. He was still a man, certain things he would never fully understand them, but Thea did, and it brought them closer together.

"I'm scared." Felicity confessed. "And I don't know what to do."

Thea wrapped her arms around her shoulders and Felicity couldn't stop the tears that ran down her face or the way her body shook with sobs.

Since the moment she opened the door and saw the police, the despair was there, waiting, eating at her. And now that it was only her and Thea she couldn't hold it in anymore.

"It's going to be okay." Thea told her.

"I hate those words." She said with anger. "That's what Oliver said before leaving, and John did the same. But it shouldn't be like that. Everything _was_ okay, and now it's not." She took a deep breath. "Just a few hours ago we were there, sitting at the table having dinner like the happiest family in the world. We were, really, and then someone decided that Cooper needed justice, after everything he did." Felicity's voice broke from tears. "And Ellie might never see her father again because-"

"Hey, stop that now. We don't know how bad the situation is, maybe it's nothing." Thea said, but Felicity heard in her voice that she didn't really believe that.

"I don't know what to do if he'll go to prison. He doesn't deserve that. Especially not after what he's been through during his five years away. He has suffered too much already." She whispered. "This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't moved here four years ago."

"Okay, that's enough." Thea told her sternly as she pulled away. "Are you listening to yourself? Do you think Ollie would want you to blame yourself for something like this?"

"He stopped Cooper because of _me_ , because I-"

"He stopped Cooper because it was the right thing to do. He was a sick and deranged man, who wasn't going to stop until he hurt you and Ellie. And maybe not even then." Thea told her. "If you hadn't moved here four years ago Ellie wouldn't have a father now. Who knows what else could have happened to the two of you." She said softly.

Felicity held her head between her hands, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. "I know you're right..." She quietly said.

"Do you think her life would be better without him?" Thea asked.

"No. And neither would be mine. We need him in our lives."

"Then hold on to that thought." Felicity looked at Thea. "Use that as your anchor."

"Thank you, Thea." She said brokenly. "And I'm sorry. He's your brother, I should be the one comforting you, not the other way around. I thought I became stronger than this."

"Felicity, you are strong. And I don't need comfort. I've already seen my brother arrested four times in the past. And one of those times it was because he peed on a cop." She said with a smile and Felicity couldn't help a small chuckle.

She sobered up and stated, "This is not the same thing, and you know it."

"Yeah... But it made you smile for a second, which was what I wanted." Thea sighed. "We'll find a solution, whatever this is about."

"Okay." Felicity said, trying to see things like she did.

Felicity hugged Thea again and held her tightly. "Thank you." She whispered sincerely.

"Anytime. Just don't let that bastard get into your head ever again." Thea told her with fire in her voice.

"I'll keep that in mind."

They stayed like that for a few minutes, just supporting each other.

"I need to go check on Ellie." Felicity said suddenly, and Thea pulled away.

"Okay. I'll be here if you need me."

With a nod, Felicity stood from the couch and walked to Ellie's room. She opened the door and quietly went to sit on the floor next to her daughter's bed.

Felicity gently grabbed her hand, careful not to wake her and she watched Ellie sleep peacefully, unaware of what was really happening around her. The white teddy bear Oliver gave her held close to her chest.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the drawing on the wall, visible thanks to the nightlight that softly illuminated the room. Their talk about it seemed so far away when it only happened a few hours ago.

She wished they could just go back to that moment when they were happy and without a worry in the world.

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked the chapter. In the next we'll find out what's really going on, so... Stay tuned!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a new chapter! A lot of things are explained and... well, just enjoy it!

Oliver was sitting in an interview room. Lance let him call Jean Loring when they arrived at the precinct, and now they were waiting for her.

"Can you at least tell me what are the accuses?" Oliver asked Quentin.

"I think we should wait for your lawyer. I don't want you to say something that might make your situation worse." He suggested.

With a sigh, Oliver nodded. For once he'd rather talk than keep quiet.

Staying silent left him alone with his thoughts. He could still see Felicity and Ellie's scared faces as he walked away, and it pained him. He'd sworn to protect them, he'd sworn to keep them safe with him... But right now, with an impending accuse of murder, and possible incarceration, he didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to keep them safe from future threats...

_He_ became the threat.

His family was going to be in the public eye, and who knew what could happen if-

The door opened, and Jean walked in, looking professional as always. "Jean Loring." She said to Quentin, who stood and shook her outstretched hand.

"Quentin Lance. Please, have a seat."

"Thank you. I would like to talk to my client alone first." She said as she sat next to him.

"That's not necessary, Jean." Oliver told her.

"Oliver, I really suggest having a private conversation before we start."

"We don't need to. I've already said what happened, three years ago. I'm going to say the same things again because _that_  is what happened." Oliver insisted.

With a reluctant sigh, Jean nodded and looked at Lance. "Why are we here exactly?"

The man let out a sigh and passed her the folder he had in front of him. "Almost two years ago, we received a call from the Boston Police Department. They just wanted the files on Cooper Seldon's case, the coroner's report, and the death certificate. We gave them a copy of all of that because the request came from Lieutenant Richard Seldon, father of Cooper Seldon."

Oliver started to have a bad feeling about it.

"Okay, they requested them years ago. Why did you arrest my client now?" Jean asked. "And why they waited more than one year after Cooper's death before asking for the files?"

"For that, I don't have an answer. But this afternoon SCPD received a call from Judge McGarvey. They sent a warrant for Oliver's arrest." Quentin said gravelly.

"Captain Lance, in your final report, you confirmed my client shot Mr. Seldon in self-defense." Jean pointed out.

"Yes, and I firmly believe that. But Lieutenant Seldon says my report is fake."

"On what basis?" She requested.

Lance looked at him. "Oliver, I need you to tell me once again what happened that day."

He nodded, but Jean put a hand on his arm. "Are you sure you don't want to consult first?"

"I'm sure, Jean. I know what I did and what happened. It won't change." Oliver said with conviction.

"Okay."

Oliver closed his eyes and gathered his thoughts. For years he avoided thinking back to that day like the plague, and now here he was. He needed to stay clinical, he couldn't put his emotions into this, or he'd lose it.

"I was at Queen Consolidated when I received a call from Isabel Rochev, who we knew had worked with Cooper. She was on the run, and I sent a text to John Diggle to inform you, Captain Lance, so you could trace the call. He replied that you were going to get her and that Cooper broke out of prison a few hours earlier."

Oliver had to rest his hands on his legs, hiding the way they were trembling. The fear he had felt in that moment knowing the bastard was out and probably on his way to get Felicity and Ellie... He'll never forget that.

"I ran home. Out of my apartment door, I found a man dressed in a police uniform, who later I found out was another inmate that escaped with Cooper. He was dead, a bullet hole in his head. I went inside... Ellie was crying, but she wasn't hurt." He took a deep breath. "Cooper was holding down Felicity with a hand around her throat." His hands closed in tight fists. "She was trying to get him off of her, kicking him in any way she could. I ran to them, but Cooper... He hit her, twice."

Her bruised face flashed in front of his eyes, and her cries of pain resounded in his head. Oliver had to take a deep calming breath.

"When I reached them I threw him off of her, and I... I hit him."

"Oliver..." Jean warned him.

"It's the truth. And he already knows it." Oliver said indicating Quentin, who nodded.

"I hit him." He repeated. "Then I realized Felicity and Ellie were there, and I needed to make sure they were okay."

_Felicity recoiled from him and Oliver's chest constricted._

Later she told him that she wasn't getting away from him, but from Cooper who was standing behind him. The sight pained him anyway.

"I made a mistake and turned my back on him... When I looked at him again, he had a gun in his hand as he aimed it at my chest. He started to talk about killing both Ellie and Felicity and... I tried to get the gun from him, but not before he shot me."

His chest still hurt from time to time. Oliver didn't know if it was physical pain, or if it was just in his head. As he talked about it, the scar seemed to burn under his shirt.

"I took the gun from him and aimed."

He remembered the hesitancy he felt in that moment. He didn't want Felicity and Ellie assist to something like that, he wanted to protect them as much as he could. In the end, he failed.

"What did you do after that, Oliver?" Quentin gently asked.

"I saw him reach for something in his pocket and I pulled the trigger."

_I'll never stop!_

Those were the last words the man said before dying. Before Oliver killed him.

"What was he reaching for?"

"A switchblade. It ended on the floor. And after that it's..."

_I love you._

_Oliver._

_I love you... and Ellie... so much._

"Oliver?"

He inhaled sharply and looked at Quentin. "Yeah?"

"There isn't a switchblade in the evidence of the case." He said grimly.

"What?" He asked confused.

"Some evidence is missing, and you're telling us now?" Jean said.

"We just found out." Lance looked at Oliver. "I remember collecting that piece of evidence myself, so _I know_ it was there on the scene... But when I questioned you about the attack after you regained consciousness, you didn't mention it, so it's not in the report."

"Like you said," Jean intervened, "you questioned him after he regained consciousness. He was still under the effects of the hospital drugs, after being in an induced coma for four days. You can't count that as a-"

"Jean, please." Oliver tried to calm her. Quentin was just trying to do his job.

"Oliver, do you recall mentioning the switchblade?" She asked him.

He thought back to those days. The doctors kept him sedated for a long time so he didn’t strain himself. The things he said and heard were a blur.

_I love you, Oliver._

That he remembered. But it wasn't going to help him with his case.

"I don't remember." He told her sincerely.

Oliver watched as Jean frowned deep in thought. "Captain Lance is it possible that someone tampered with the evidence? Or someone broke into the evidence room and stole the switchblade? Made it disappear?"

"It's the most likely scenario, but I've personally checked. No signs of a break-in and only police officers have access to that room." Lance informed them.

"Well, maybe you should question them too." Jean suggested.

"Miss Loring, I-"

"The both of you, please." Oliver stopped them. They all needed to stay focused. "What is going to happen now?"

"I have a better question. Of what exactly Mr. Seldon is accusing my client? Because even without the switchblade, Cooper shot Oliver and attacked Felicity in their apartment. Not to mention that he threatened all of their lives more than once." Jean reminded them.

_I'LL COME BACK FOR HER._

The white teddy bear smeared with red paint.

The invasive photos of Felicity and Ellie.

_I'll never stop!_

Oliver shook his head and focused on Jean and Quentin, who was looking at him.

"He says that this is all an act. That... _you_ hurt Felicity, and Cooper tried to protect her. He says that you shot Cooper with the intention of killing him. And _Felicity_ shot you in self-defense, but you survived, and now you're still abusing of her... and Ellie too."

"This is insane." He blurted out. "Quentin, you know me. I've never laid a hand on them, and I never will."

"I know." The man said with an apologetic look. "But this is bigger than me. I can do nothing about it. I'm sorry."

Oliver didn't know what to think. He didn't know what to do, how to react, what to say to prove that was not what happened.

"Your arraignment is tomorrow morning. For tonight I'm afraid you'll have to stay in our cells here." Quentin told him as he stood, then looked at Jean. "I really hope you'll find a way to get him out of this situation."

"I will." She said with conviction.

Quentin left the room, and Jean looked at him. "I'm going to see what they really have on you. Don't talk to anyone about this unless I'm present and tomorrow we'll ask for a dismissal. Okay?"

"Yeah." He said.

His mind already thinking about what could happen to his family, if things won't go as they hoped.

→

Oliver was laying on the cot.

He wished he could call Felicity. He wanted to reassure her, to comfort her, let her know everything was going to be okay. Even if it all seemed a big, fat lie.

Most of all he wanted to hear her voice. Hers and Ellie's. He needed that more than anything.

A door opened down the corridor, and he glanced at the man walking to him.

"Hey." John stopped just out of his cell.

He stood from what they called a bed and walked to his friend. "Hi, John." Oliver said with a tight smile.

"How are you holding up?"

He sighed. "I'm trying to stay strong for my family. How are they?" John looked away from him for a moment, and he was immediately on alert. "What? Something happened?" He asked concerned.

"They're fine. Ellie fell asleep without a problem thanks to Roy. Felicity... she fainted."

"Is she okay? Did she get hurt?" Oliver's anxiety increased the more he waited for an answer.

"She's okay. She didn't get hurt, I caught her before she fell to the floor." His friend breathed in and shook his head. "I think bringing up Cooper again and your arrest were too much. She stayed strong as long as she had Ellie next to her, then it became too much, and her body couldn't handle it."

Oliver rubbed his hands over his face. He was supposed to be there for them.

"Don't blame yourself, Oliver." He heard John say.

"You know I'll do that anyway."

His friend was about to say something but thought better of it. Instead, he asked a question. "Why did they bring you here?"

"Cooper's father says that _I_ was the one who hurt Felicity, that his son was trying to protect her from _me_ , that Felicity shot me in self-defense and I killed Cooper because I wanted to. Oh, and I've been abusing Felicity and Ellie for the last three years." He said bitterly.

John let out a sigh. "Man, that's insane."

"That's what I said."

His friend studied him for a few seconds. "There's more?"

"The switchblade Cooper wanted to use before I shot him... It disappeared." Oliver told him quietly, careful not to be heard by the officer at the end of the corridor.

"What?" John said in shock. "Do you think it might be someone in the police?"

He shrugged. "Quentin didn't find signs of a break-in, so it must be."

"And without that evidence, you killed an unarmed man, who was apparently defending a woman you were -and still are- abusing. Damn."

"Yeah."

"What if Felicity talks in your favor? Says what really happened, what she saw and heard? She was there after all." John suggested, but Oliver shook his head.

"Nobody will listen to her if they believe I'm abusing her. They'll think she won't go against me in fear of what I'd do if she talks." He said in defeat.

"So that's it?" John asked angrily. "You're just going to accept this?"

"No. I'm not accepting this. I just want to see what happens tomorrow at my arraignment, then we'll think about our next move." He said with conviction.

"Hey, you!" The guard yelled at John. "Time's up."

With a sigh, John looked at him. "Stay strong, man."

Oliver nodded at him. "Tell Felicity and Ellie that I miss them. And I'm sorry... that I can't be there for them."

"You will be there, Oliver. And I know they miss you too already."

He watched his friend go, and laid back again on the cot.

Oliver just wanted to be there for his family. He knew that Felicity was going to have nightmares after Cooper showed up again in their lives. With a heavy heart, he hoped John and Thea were going to be enough for her and Ellie.

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Congratulations to Wrestlechick93, who was able to guess that Cooper's father was behind this when he's not even in the show!!
> 
> Next chapter will be up tomorrow and it's... it's a pretty important chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Here's a new chapter, one that I think it's important for future chapters...
> 
> Also, I made some researches but I didn't study law, so if there's something that doesn't make sense, for the sake of this fic please pretend it does.
> 
> Without further ado, enjoy!

Felicity awoke with a start.

She tried to get her breathing under control, as the images from her nightmare replayed in front of her eyes. It had been a while since the last time she had one, and the thought unsettled her, because it meant she let Cooper inside her head again, something she promised herself she wasn’t going to let happen ever again.

She closed her eyes, wishing Oliver was there with her. He always knew how to comfort her and support her, how to help her deal with them.

Felicity just wanted him safe at home.

Taking a deep breath, she looked around. She was still sitting on the floor next to Ellie's bed, their hands still locked together as her daughter slept peacefully. The numbers on the clock showed her she slept only three hours, and it was still the middle of the night.

With a sigh, Felicity stood, leaned down to kiss Ellie's forehead, and quietly made her way out of the bedroom. She wanted to stay there with her, but John was probably back from visiting Oliver, and she needed to know what was going on. She needed to be prepared for when Ellie will ask about her father.

In the living room, Felicity saw Thea sleeping on the couch, and John sitting at the counter in the kitchen. She gently put a blanket over Thea, making sure she was comfortable, then walked to John and took a seat. His forearms rested on the counter as he stared blankly at his clasped hands, deep in thought.

Felicity took a deep breath. "How is he?" She whispered.

"He's holding on." He said. "And he misses you and Ellie."

She closed her eyes. God, she missed him too. "Why did they arrest him _now_?" She asked.

John turned to her and stared into her eyes. "Their version of that day is that Oliver shot Cooper because he wanted to kill him, not for self-defense or because he was trying to protect you."

"What?" She asked shocked. "Why would they think that?"

"Because someone told them that Cooper was protecting you from Oliver, and Oliver was the one who hurt you in the first place. They also say that you shot Oliver in self-defense." John told her gently.

"It doesn't make sense... I..." Felicity shook her head. "I'll tell them it's all a lie. This-"

"Felicity." He interrupted her with a gentle hand on her arm. "They won't listen to what you say."

"But they have to, this is not what happened!" She exclaimed.

"They think Oliver is abusing you and Ellie."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Accusing Oliver of abuse? That was ridiculous.

"So... if the police believe he's hurting us, they think I'd lie for him?"

"Yes, in fear of what he'd do to you when he gets out."

She ran her hands through her hair. _This isn't happening._

"There's something else." John said.

"More? What?" Felicity asked.

"The switchblade Cooper was going to use before Oliver shot him... it's missing from the evidence of the case. It looks like a job from the inside."

She didn't expect that. "A corrupt officer?"

"Probably."

"But... why? Why arrest him now, why wait for so long? And why accuse him of things he didn't do?" She wondered aloud.

"I don't know. But Cooper's father is the one who told the police all of these lies."

Felicity looked at her friend in shock. She never met the man but -if Cooper didn't lie about him- she knew he was one of those people who wasn't going to stop until he had what he wanted.

→

Oliver repeatedly fixed his tie.

He was in court, waiting for his arraignment, and Jean was telling him what was going to happen. He barely listened to what she said, his mind back to that day when he ended Cooper's life.

He had laid awake the whole night thinking about it.

He thought about his actions, his words, what Cooper did and said, and how he reacted in response. He thought about everything.

Oliver couldn't decide if he had had another way to stop him without killing him.

"Oliver?" Jean said to him. "It's time."

He nodded and followed her out of the room. They walked in silence, and luckily no one bothered them on the way. They entered the room where the arraignment will take place, and Oliver stopped.

Felicity was sitting with the public, staring blankly at the floor as she bit her lower lip in worry. He immediately knew she didn't sleep well, she was pale and looked tired and nervous. Oliver wanted to reassure her more than anything.

He approached her, and she looked up at him. Felicity stood and made to reach out to him with a hand but stopped when she realized they probably couldn't touch.

"Hey." He whispered.

"Hey." She whispered back.

Oliver wanted to tell her many things, but suddenly he was unable to form words.

"John told me what's going on." She said, and Oliver watched as Felicity closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'll fix this."

"Felicity..." He started, shaking his head.

"All rise." Said the court officer.

Oliver wanted to tell her that it wasn't something _she_ needed to fix. But it wasn't the time or place for that conversation, and they both knew it. So they just nodded at each other, a promise to talk about it later, as Oliver went to stand next to Jean.

"Shouldn't there be someone against us?" Oliver asked quietly to Jean.

"Yes." She replied.

"Then where are they?"

"I don't know."

The door in front of them opened, and the judge went to sit on his chair.

"Docket QS4587, State versus Oliver Jonas Queen. Judge McGarvey is presiding." The officer announced as the judge looked around the room.

"The prosecution is not present?" He asked.

"Yes, your honor." A man behind them said.

Oliver turned around and looked at him. He had a familiar face, but he couldn't place a name on it.

"District Attorney, Adrian Chase. My apologies for being late, your honor." He said with a smile as he took place at the table next to them.

"Mr. Chase, I see your punctuality doesn't get better with time." The judge sighed.

"What can I say? I'm the most sought-after DA in the city. I'm a busy man." He said with the least humble smile Oliver had ever seen.

Judge McGarvey ignored him and focused on Jean. "I understand the defense rejects the reading of charges in favor of a motion."

"Yes, your honor." Jean replied. "Defense moves to dismiss for lack of probable cause. The defendant already admitted he shot Cooper Seldon three years ago, and it was established that it was self-defense, not murder."

"We're not relying on that old report." Chase said, suddenly all business. "We have proof that Oliver Queen killed an unarmed man with the intention to end his life."

"Let's see it." Jean requested.

"And show my whole card during arraignment?" He asked with a smile. "I don't think so."

"Sorry, Mrs. Loring, but we're not skipping over steps here." The judge sternly said. "But I'm going to release the defendant on bail."

Oliver took a relieved breath. At least he could go home to his family for the time being.

He saw the DA become frustrated. "Your honor, the defendant is accused of murder-"

"And he has a family, he’s the CEO of the most important company in the city. I don't think he's going anywhere. Not with a 10 million dollars bail and 1 million dollars bond." Judge McGarvey said banging the gavel.

The relief Oliver felt moments ago left his body as fast as it came.

He didn't have 10 million dollars at hand, not anymore. And the bond, he couldn't ask someone else to pay for that.

He was going to jail very soon.

"We're going to ask for an early trial date." Jean said to him, and from her voice, he knew she didn't expect this outcome either.

The judge left the room, and so did Adrian Chase. Oliver stood and turned to Felicity.

"Please tell Ellie I love her." He said with a sigh.

"You're going to tell her yourself when you'll see her in an hour." She firmly said.

"What do you mean?" Oliver asked her and even before he finished that sentence he knew what she was going to say.

"I'm going to pay for your bond."

"I won't let you pay 1 million dollars like that. And where would you get them so fast?" He asked.

"The project Walter approved yesterday. The investors already gave me-"

"No, Felicity. I can't let you do that." He insisted.

"I can't let you not let me." Felicity said with fire in her eyes. "You don't deserve to spend time in a prison cell, and we need you. You have a daughter to come home to."

Oliver really didn't want her to spend money like that, money that she needed for her job. She earned them with her hard work.

"I'll give them back to you as soon as I get out." He promised her.

"We'll talk about that later." Felicity told him as she left the room.

Oliver had a feeling she wasn't going to accept them back in any case.

→

Felicity was sitting on the bench near the exit, waiting for Oliver. It had been an hour since she paid the bond, and she wondered why it was taking so long to release him.

Just when she was about to look for him, Oliver rounded the corner. He was listening to Jean and nodded along to what she was saying.

"I'll keep in contact." The lawyer said and, with a nod at Felicity, she left the courthouse.

Felicity stood from the bench and walked to Oliver. As soon as they were within reach, they wrapped their arms around each other. The feeling of his body against hers calmed her immediately.

"Thank you." He whispered to her.

" _Don't_ , Oliver. You would have done the same for me."

He kissed the side of her head. "Of course."

They stayed like that for a few moments, not caring about the people walking around them. They just weren't ready to let go of each other.

With a sigh he slightly pulled away, his hands resting on her shoulders.

"Let's go home." He said, and she nodded.

Oliver's hand grabbed hers, and they walked together to the exit.

"John is waiting in the car." She informed him.

"Okay. Thea stayed with Ellie?" He asked.

"Yeah, Roy too. They helped a lot yesterday and this morning."

"How is Ellie?"

Felicity heard in his voice that he was afraid of Ellie being upset with him for leaving, so she quickly reassured him.

"She's fine, but she missed you. We didn't tell her what was really going on, so she thinks you spent the night helping Quentin catching a bad guy." She told him as they descended the stairs out of the courthouse.

Felicity saw him open his mouth to say something when she was blinded by flashlights. All of a sudden, Oliver's left arm wrapped around her back, pulling her close to him, as they were surrounded by reporters with cameras and microphones.

"Mr. Queen! Can you tell us what's going on?"

"Did you kill an innocent man?"

"Miss Smoak! Is it true that he's abusing you?"

"Were you the one who shot him three years ago?"

"Felicity, are you interested in his money if he goes to jail?"

"Will Queen Consolidated be yours if that happens?"

"Are you going to get married for the spousal privilege if you have to testify against him?"

People were shouting questions in their faces, talking over each other, as they pushed closer and closer to them. The situation was getting out of control.

Oliver was trying to keep them away as much as possible, but there were so many reporters that it was impossible not to bump against them.

They were almost at the car, and John was coming their way to help, when a reporter roughly grabbed her arm, yanking her away from Oliver.

In a second she was back in her apartment, with Cooper pushing her against the wall, his hands leaving bruises on her skin as he tried to kiss her before he beat her.

Felicity froze, and she shut her eyes, a pained whimper leaving her lips.

"Get your hands off of her!" Oliver yelled next to her, the hand disappeared from her arm, and she heard a man yelp in pain. But she couldn't focus on that.

She felt another pair of hands touch her arms, and she flinched involuntarily.

"It's me, Felicity." Oliver whispered in her ear. "It's just me, I'm taking you home."

With a small nod, she let him guide her to the car, the reporters were still yelling questions at them but stayed at a reasonable distance as John kept them away.

As soon as the door opened, she slipped in and Oliver followed her. The door closed behind him, and Oliver didn't waste time to gather her in his arms, his left hand held her close as the right cradled her face when she rested her head against his shoulder.

"It's okay, I'm right here with you." He whispered. "They can't touch you. And Cooper is not here. He can't get to you anymore."

As always, he knew what was going on in her head. Felicity closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears that started to roll down her face.

"Just keep breathing, and everything will be fine." Oliver told her as he tenderly kissed the side of her head.

"I-" She barely said.

"I know, it's okay. Just breathe with me." He told her in his calm, soothing voice and Felicity did as he said.

For a few moments that was all they did. With Oliver's hands running over her arm and hair, her hands clutching his shirt as their bodies stayed pressed together.

When she was able to calm down, she realized John was driving, the courthouse already far away.

"That's it." Oliver whispered.

"Thank you." Felicity told him sincerely. "And I'm-"

"Felicity, don't you dare to apologize." His arms tightened around her. "I've already told you. You never, _never_ have to apologize for having a panic attack."

"But I made things worse." She took in a ragged breath. "They saw me flinch when you touched me, they'll think-"

"I don't care what they think. We both know the truth, that's what matters to me." He told her, still using the soft voice he seemed to reserve only for her and Ellie. "Right now let's just focus on getting home to our daughter. Okay?"

Felicity weakly nodded against his shoulder, and Oliver kissed the top of her head again.

His arms around her slowly making her feel safe again.

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's "welcome" Adrian Chase in our story!
> 
> Little note: the judge is not corrupted in this fic, he'll just do his job.
> 
> I can't wait to read all of your comments and theories. See you tomorrow with chapter 5!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a new chapter... Enjoy!

The car stopped, and Oliver looked out of the window. They were out of their apartment building, the dark clouds in the sky mirroring how they were all feeling today.

He looked down at Felicity, who was lost in thought and gently squeezed her arm to catch her attention.

"We're here." He whispered, and she nodded against his shoulder.

They got out of the car and walked to the building, Oliver's arm wrapped around her shoulders to give her comfort and make her feel safe. Luckily no journalist was waiting outside.

The entire way to the apartment they stayed in silence, but he knew they were going to talk later about everything. Right now, they just needed to see their daughter.

Felicity unlocked the door, and Oliver barely had the time to let go of her and catch Ellie who ran to them at full speed.

"Daddy!" She yelled in his ear.

"Hi, baby girl." He said with a smile as he held her close to him, her face pressed to his neck.

"I missed you, daddy." She told him in a small voice.

"I missed you too, sweetheart."

It wasn't like he never left for long periods of time, sometimes he had to stay away a couple of days or a week for work, but she never reacted like this. Ellie probably felt something was out of the ordinary and understood that his absence wasn't exactly his choice.

For a few minutes, Oliver just held her, savoring the moment. He saw Felicity talking to Roy and Thea, explaining to them how it went, but he knew she was barely holding it together. The encounter with the reporters shook her more than she tried to let on.

"Hey, Ellie. Why don't you go to mommy and give her a hug too? She really needs one." He whispered in her ear.

"Mommy?" Ellie whispered back. "Is she sad?" She asked innocently.

"Something like that, yeah." He told her. "And your hugs will make her feel a lot better, I'm sure of it."

"Later you will tell me my story and give me another hug?" She asked him with hopeful eyes.

"Of course, and I’ll give you as many hugs as you want." He responded, and Ellie nodded enthusiastically.

"Okay, daddy."

"Good girl." He said with a kiss on her cheek.

Oliver put her down and watched as she went to her mother, a determined look on her face. Without a word, Ellie pulled at Felicity's shirt asking for attention, Felicity stopped midsentence and looked down at her. Ellie reached out with her arms, wordlessly asking her mother to pick her up and Felicity didn't waste time. She bent down and held her close to her body, Ellie tightly wrapped her little arms around her neck, and Felicity closed her eyes, a sigh leaving her lips.

Thea and Roy seemed to notice that something was wrong and looked at him. Oliver just nodded, letting them know that everything was okay -as okay as it could be, considering what was happening to them.

They quietly stood and walked to him.

"So... bail, uh?" Thea asked him.

"Yeah. Jean is working on finding out what they have on me but the DA is keeping everything under wraps. Once she finds something, we can see what to do about it."

His sister nodded and briefly hugged him. "I hope we can resolve this thing soon."

"Me too, Speedy."

She pulled away, and Oliver looked at Felicity and Ellie. They were sitting on the couch, still hugging each other, something being whispered between them. Whatever it was it affected Felicity, because he could see her eyes had filled with tears.

"We'll leave you guys alone." He heard Roy say.

“Yeah, we’ll call you later, Ollie.”

Oliver nodded, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from his family. Thea and Roy left without another word, and Oliver made his way to the couch. He took a seat and wrapped his arms around both Ellie and Felicity, to comfort them and make them feel safe again.

→

For the entire day, Oliver tried to make Felicity talk about what was going on, but she always replied that Ellie was there next to them and she shouldn't hear certain things.

Oliver agreed with her, but now that Ellie was finally asleep -after asking for three stories and at least twenty hugs- they needed to have a serious conversation. She did nothing but close in on herself today, and he couldn't let that happen, not with what was going on.

He walked back to their room and noticed the bathroom door was closed, he heard the water running, so he guessed Felicity was still in the shower.

Oliver took off his clothes and stayed only in his underwear, the shower he took earlier already washed away the remains of his time in a police cell.

He made himself busy while he waited. He checked his phone, and found no messages from Jean Loring, meaning no news on his case, he replied to a few urgent emails for the company, and Felicity was still in there.

Oliver respected her need for space, he really did because he knew it was important. But this time space was the last thing she needed. He stood from the bed and walked to the door, gently knocked and waited for an answer. He heard her turn the faucet off.

"Yeah, I'll be done in a few minutes." Felicity said, and he knew she was crying. It pained him that she felt the need to hide from him. Oliver rested his forehead against the cold wall next to the door.

"Felicity... please." He whispered softly, but he knew she heard him from the ragged breath she took. "I am here for you, you know that. Please open the door."

For an entire minute, they just stayed there, a wall separating them, as they didn't speak, neither of them moved a muscle. Complete silence filled the rooms, until Felicity unlocked the door, and Oliver carefully opened it.

He saw her sitting on the floor next to the door, her back against the wall. She was already wearing his clothes, those she used to sleep in, and tears were streaming down her face as she stared blankly in front of her. Oliver sat on the floor next to Felicity, facing her, his entire focus on her insecure frame.

"Talk to me, Felicity." He told her gently, his hands itching to touch her, but it wasn't the right move. He first needed to know if she accepted his touch, and let him in.

"I don't want to make this about me." She murmured as more tears spilled from her eyes. "You have more important things to think about."

" _You_ are important to me." Oliver reassured her. "I need to know what's really bothering you so we can get through this, together." Felicity's lower lip trembled, but she still didn't talk. "Years ago we agreed that when doubts or bad memories came back into your head, you were going to tell me about it. Do you remember that?" She nodded. "Please, Felicity. Let me be here for you."

Felicity hesitated for a few moments, but eventually looked at him.

"It was over." She confessed in a broken voice. "Cooper was dead, and we were free. For months I didn't think about the things that happened in the past, I didn't have a panic attack, I wasn't scared. And we were happy. But now his ghost is back and is ruining our lives, your life." Felicity said getting agitated.

"You might end up in prison because his father doesn't want the Seldon name to be tainted. He doesn't want to be connected to the sick bastard his son was. So he's trying to throw mud on you, making you look bad so people won't look at _him_ , at _his_ family."

Felicity was panicking again, but Oliver couldn't stop it this time. She needed to let it all out.

"And I can't help but think that this is all my fault." She finally confessed. "It's all my fault, because if you had never met me, then you wouldn't have been arrested. Your life would be better without me in it."

Tears pooled in Oliver's eyes. He had no idea she felt like this. He thought their encounter with the press was the problem, but apparently, it was more than that. Before he could say anything, she went on.

"And I feel selfish, because if we had never met, then Cooper would still be alive, haunting us. And I wouldn't have you, Ellie wouldn't have you. And I don't want that, because I want you in our lives." Felicity said barely able to speak through her cries.

"You're not selfish." Oliver whispered to her.

"Your life is a mess right now because of me, but I still want you by my side. That makes me selfish." She insisted.

"You're not selfish." Oliver repeated. He scooted closer and gently grabbed her trembling hands. "You're not selfish because I _want_ to be by your side. You're not forcing me to stay. And I would do everything over and over again. I'm okay with facing prison -if things won't go our way- but I will never regret meeting you and Ellie, or stopping a fucking bastard from hurting the two of you." He said with conviction.

Felicity looked down in defeat. "You risk a life sentence."

"I can handle losing my freedom. I cannot handle losing you and Ellie." As he said those words, she looked up at him.

Oliver knew the moment when she finally accepted his support and understood his reasoning, as she went to hug him. He didn't waste time and held her in his arms while she cried, a few tears falling from his eyes too.

She had suffered so much, but her first thought was that she didn't want to make this about herself because the charges were against him. That didn't make her selfish, quite the opposite. And he made sure to tell her just that, in soft whispers as they sat there, hugging each other.

When she ran out of tears and calmed down, Oliver slightly pulled away and asked her the question he wanted to ask since he entered the room.

"What happened to your hand?"

He had noticed her knuckles were bruised, undoubtedly from a punch, and she didn't have it thirty minutes ago. She shrugged.

“Felicity.”

She sighed and with her uninjured hand she grabbed her phone where it rested on the floor next to her. She typed something and then showed it to him. It was a news website.

_"Oliver Queen accused of abusing his girlfriend. See her reacting to his touch."_

A video followed, and Oliver didn’t need to play it to know what it was going to show. He locked the phone and put it aside, focusing back on Felicity.

"I might have punched the wall out of frustration because of that." She confessed.

Oliver sighed. "Felicity..."

"I know, it was stupid. And I regret it, now that I know how much it hurts."

He put a finger under her chin and made her look into his eyes. "Can I take a look?" She nodded and showed him her hand. It looked pretty much like his after he hit the reporter. "It's not broken, and I don't think it's sprained."

Felicity sighed. "I'm sorry." She whispered, looking down at the floor. "I should have talked to you instead of isolating myself. I just… I promised myself I wouldn’t let him get in my head ever again, but I did, twice in a day."

"Hey, it's okay." Oliver said. "No one expects you to just forget about him or what he did. Look at me, I still have nightmares about my time on the island. There's no way to prevent a nightmare or bad memory to show up again in your head. But you can try to fight it." He sighed. "I'm not good with this stuff, but… I don't know, maybe, if it happens again, try to remind yourself that Cooper can't hurt you anymore."

"But he _is_ hurting us. Even from the grave." She muttered and Oliver ran his hands over her arms to comfort her.

He noticed another bruise peeking out from under her shirt. He gently pulled up the sleeve, and on her forearm she had a hand-shaped bruise. He was going to sue that reporter.

"That doesn't hurt." Felicity reassured him.

"It shouldn't be there in the first place." His anger clearly audible in his voice.

She pulled him down for a quick kiss. "It's okay. And... he wasn't Cooper." She whispered. He wasn't sure if she was reassuring him or herself. It was probably both.

"Tell me how I can help you."

Whenever Felicity had doubts, or bad memories and nightmares showed up again, Oliver told her those words. Sometimes she just needed to talk, other times his hugs, and sometimes he needed to show her how much he loved her.

"I just need you to hold me." She whispered, and he nodded.

"Okay."

They made their way to the bed, and Felicity laid against him, seeking in his arms the comfort she needed.

"I'm sorry for flinching away from you." She sniffled.

"It's okay." Oliver repeated.

"I really thought I became stronger than that." He heard her mutter.

"You are strong. Don't think otherwise, and please don't apologize." Oliver said tightening his hold on her.

"Okay." She said with a sigh.

At that moment, he remembered a night of four years ago, when she was the one who held him and comforted him, after he freaked out because of a storm and ended up telling her about his past. This time, he was the one who needed to comfort her.

_If I lay here, if I just lay here._

_Would you lie with me and just forget the world._

Oliver didn't sing it, he just whispered the words to her. But it was enough, as she let out another sigh and relaxed even more against him, until she fell asleep.

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you tomorrow with the next chapter... _*whispers to herself* oh boy, next chapter..._


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's your chapter... Enjoy!
> 
> *goes hiding in a corner*

The next day Felicity woke up to her phone ringing. She needed to get to the office because the investors were worried about the events of the previous day. They didn't call Oliver, but Jean informed them that for the time being it was better if he didn't work, so it made sense that they called her. Besides, Ellie demanded Oliver's undivided attention, so he had to stay at home anyway.

Two hours later Felicity wished she had stayed with them.

She resolved the problem at work, and after parking her car on the street, she made her way home. Right before taking the steps leading to her building, someone grabbed her from behind. Her screams were muffled by the hand the person put on her mouth as they dragged her in an alley.

Felicity did her best to not panic or think about when Cooper hit her in the past, and tried to kick the person -a man- but somehow he managed to dodge it.

"Stop it, bitch! I just need to get my work done." He harshly said to her.

Before she realized what happened, he turned her around and punched her straight in the face. It hurt, but Felicity wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of crying out. She surely wasn't going to let him hurt her more than that.

_She just couldn't._

She needed to fight back. So, as fast as she could, Felicity grabbed the taser from her purse and quickly shocked him before running home.

She didn't look back, so she had no idea if he was following her. Her feet hit fast the pavement, and soon she was banging on the door of the apartment, her hands shaking too much to grab her keys.

Oliver quickly opened the door, his eyes widened at her state, and Felicity slipped past him.

"Felicity!"

"Close the door." She told him.

He did as she said and immediately cradled her face, studying what was probably a bruise already forming.

"Felicity, what happened to you?" He asked worriedly.

"I... I don't know exactly." She said as she tried to catch her breath. "I mean, I was walking home, and suddenly a guy grabbed me and pulled me in an alley." Felicity watched as his eyes hardened, a small tremble ran through his hands. "I tried to fight him, he said that he needed to get his work done and hit me. Then I tasered him and ran here."

Oliver closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He opened his eyes again, and the anger was gone, replaced only by concern.

"Who was it?" He asked, as he gently prodded her eye, which she could feel was already swelling.

"I don't know." Felicity said. "He was wearing one of those black masks. But there was something in his voice..." She thought back to those instants. "I think I've heard it before. I just don't know where."

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" He checked.

"No."

With a relieved sigh, Oliver gently hugged her. "I'm proud of you reacting like you did."

"He still got me." Felicity countered.

"But you fought him back." He kissed the top of her head. "Listen, I'll go get some ice, then we'll call John and Quentin." He said pulling away.

"Not John, he needed to take Sara to the doctor, that's why he wasn't with me. We can't bother him now." Felicity reasoned, and she saw him thinking about it.

"Okay, I'll text him to come here when he can. But we need to find out what kind of work that man was talking about." Oliver said, a plan already forming in his mind. “We’ll call Lance anyway to report this.”

"Alright." She conceded as she looked around. "Where is Ellie?"

As if summoned, Ellie ran to her from down the corridor. "Mommy!"

"Hey, sweetheart." Felicity bent down to pick her up and held her close to her chest, giving her the best smile she could muster at that moment.

"Why your eye is red?" She innocently asked.

"It's... I had a small accident." She said as she went to sit on the couch, waiting for Oliver.

Ellie sat on Felicity's legs and watched as Oliver kneeled in front of them, placing one hand on the uninjured side of her face while the other kept the ice bag on the bruising.

"Did you fall when you ran home to us?" Ellie asked her.

"Uh... Yes." She lied, trying to be convincing.

"This is why you shouldn't run around the house, you could fall and get hurt." Oliver added. Ellie seemed to believe their words, luckily. She didn't need to know what really happened.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and Felicity looked at Oliver.

"He's not too dumb to come here and knock, right?" She whispered to him.

"Stay here." He just said.

Oliver silently walked to the door, he checked the peephole and froze. Seeing his reaction, Felicity tightened her hold on Ellie and stood, ready to run to the panic room.

"Oliver?" She whispered, and he turned to look at her in shock.

Another knock. "We know you're in there. Open the door."

Looking at Oliver, Felicity knew he was at a loss. He didn't know what to do. He quickly walked to them and wrapped his arms around their bodies.

"Whatever happens it's going to be okay." He cryptically said.

"What do you mean?" Felicity asked. "Who is it?"

More banging. " _Mr. Queen!_ "

Oliver pulled away and looked at her. "It's the police." He said grimly.

It took her only a few seconds to realize what was going to happen. If they saw her state, they would arrest Oliver for domestic abuse, no matter what they said to them.

"No." She said fiercely. "They can't... Not again." She didn't want him to be arrested, he didn't deserve it, especially for something he didn't do.

"It's going to be okay." Oliver repeated. "We'll fix this." He gave her a quick kiss, then caressed Ellie's face with a smile.

"Daddy?" She asked unsurely.

"It's okay, baby girl. Daddy loves you, remember that." He said as she looked at him, not understanding.

"Oliver, don't. We can hide." Felicity suggested, quickly thinking of ways to avoid the situation.

Oliver smiled sadly at her. "Thank you for trying. I love you all the more for it. But if they find you hiding, it would be worse."

"If you won't open the door, we'll break it down!" An officer threatened.

With a defeated sigh, Oliver went to open the door, two police officers staring hard at him.

"Mr. Queen. We just received an anonymous call. Someone heard you fighting with a woman. They got worried when they heard her scream." One agent coldly said.

"Officer, that never happened." Oliver tried to explain.

"Someone is setting him up." Felicity defended him and the men looked at her.

"That's a nasty bruise you have there, Miss Smoak." The second agent pointed out. "Looks recent."

They didn't even try to listen to what they were saying. Felicity was even more sure it was a set-up, and that the police was corrupted, at least some officers were.

"And isn't it interesting that Mr. Queen has a matching one on his hand?" The first agent continued.

"This is all a misunderstanding." Oliver tried again.

Ignoring him, they continued. "Just like that hand-shaped bruise on your arm, Miss Smoak. And your injured hand. You tried to defend yourself but he hit you some more?" The officer talked as if he had studied the exact words to say.

"He didn't do this." She whispered, shaking her head. "He never did something like this. I-"

"Mr. Queen, you are under arrest for domestic abuse." One of them said as the other grabbed a pair of handcuffs.

"Daddy?" Ellie asked with a trembling voice, just when Felicity let out a desperate "No!"

Oliver slightly raised his arm, silently asking her to stay back, and the first agent retreated the baton from his belt. She barely had the time to cover Ellie's eyes before the agent hit Oliver on the back of his head, making him fall to his knees with a groan.

Ellie tried to get out of Felicity's arms, wanting to see her father. Felicity managed to keep her close, but she had to remove her hand from Ellie's eyes.

"Daddy." She whined looking at him.

"Don't look, sweetheart." Oliver said, as the agents roughly handcuffed him.

"Come on." The officer told him as he pulled him on his feet.

Oliver looked back at her. "Stay here and call John."

"Oliver..."

"It's going to be okay."

"Shut up and walk." The other officer said as he roughly shoved him out of the door.

"Hey!" Felicity yelled before she could stop herself. "You're going to pay for this."

The man looked at her and scoffed. "Yeah, right." He turned around and walked out of the apartment.

Oliver looked at them one last time. In his eyes, Felicity saw concern and fear, but she knew he wasn't scared for himself. What worried her the most, though, was the defeated look he had before they took him away and closed the door.

Ellie was crying on her shoulder, and Felicity stood frozen in the middle of the room.

They just got him back, and in less than twenty-four hours they lost him again.

She had no idea of what to do.

→

Donna Smoak was a reasonable woman.

She had her flaws, but one of the things she was proud of was that she cared about her family.

When a few hours earlier Felicity called her and told her the police arrested Oliver again, Donna didn't think. She grabbed a bag and caught the first flight for Starling City, so she could stay close to Felicity and Ellie, to support them.

Her daughter convinced her to stay in Las Vegas yesterday. But this time Donna knew it was serious.

She also knew that she needed to do something to help, she couldn't just sit and watch as Oliver -the man she hoped one day would become her son in law- was wrongly accused of murder and abuse.

That was how she found herself in the most expensive hotel in Starling City after a quick visit to her daughter. One of her clients back in Las Vegas was able to tell her about Richard Seldon's last whereabouts, knowing the man himself.

Donna had never met him, but she already hated him. What kind of person would want to accuse an innocent man of such things she had no idea.

The door at the end of the corridor stared back at her almost mockingly, as she walked with sure steps to it. She didn't know what she was going to say, but she had to do this.

For her family.

Donna came to a halt and knocked on the door.

"Get in." Came the harsh reply.

She wasn't going to walk into his territory, _he_ needed to come to her. She knocked again.

"Damn, you women never listen to men, do you?" He said annoyed.

Steps came closer to the door right before it opened, revealing a man in his fifties wearing suit pants and an open shirt. He drank a sip of what she guessed was scotch from the glass in his hand as he leered at her.

"Not the one I requested, but we'll make it work."

Just when she thought she couldn't despise the man more than she already did...

"I don't know who you were expecting, but it surely wasn't me." Donna said coldly.

He furrowed his brows at her. "Then who the hell are you?"

_Rude much._

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that you have to drop the charges against Oliver Queen." She said.

He scoffed. "And why would I do that? Wait... If you're interested in his case, it means someone sent you to me. Was it Felicity Smoak?"

"I took it upon myself to come here and fix this, no one sent me." Donna courtly responded, her patience already over the limit. "Drop the charges. Oliver Queen is an innocent man, who-"

"He killed my son." Seldon snapped.

"Who was abusing my daughter!" Donna shouted, not caring if anyone heard. She actually hoped every person on the floor heard her. "Oliver protected her from _your_ _son_ , who was obsessed with her and hurt her so many times. Cooper wanted, and tried, to kill my daughter and my grandchild, more than once."

"You don't know what happened." He said dismissively, rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"Oh, really? And you do?" She challenged him. "Because all the evidence confirmed Oliver and Felicity's versions of the story. Cooper was there that day to kill an innocent child and do god knows what to my daughter." She seethed. "But you've messed up with the evidence, just to keep your name clean."

Seldon threw the glass he was holding, completely shattering it to the floor, and pointed one finger at her.

"You've just accused a Lieutenant of tampering with the evidence of a case, do you realize that?"

"Yes, and I also know you didn't do the dirty work but corrupted someone on the inside." Donna replied. "And I'll prove it."

He took a threatening step closer to her. "I can easily have you arrested just for being here if I want. Let alone if I tell them the things you're accusing me of." After a few tense moments, he looked at her in thought. "But I can close an eye, on this matter, if you come inside my room now. After all... your daughter didn't have a problem to sleep with my son, and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, right?"

Donna slapped him hard across his cheek, the sting in her hand was worth to see the look of shock on his face.

"You're disgusting, just like your son." She said, before turning around to leave.

"See you in court." He yelled, before slamming the door shut.

Donna didn't think that just talking to him was going to change his mind, but she hoped that at least he had a shred of conscience and tried to think about his actions, understand that what he was doing was unfair and selfish.

But after meeting the man in person, she knew there was no reasoning with him.

And that scared her for what was going to come next.

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo... Things need to get worse before they get better, and _they will get better_ , I promise!!
> 
> Now you can yell at me.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. First of all, I read in the comments that some of you found the last chapter disappointing because Oliver is going to prison, just like on the show. I'm sorry to hear that, I really am. I thought it was going to be an interesting storyline, and I actually liked what they did with the show.  
> I promise it's not going to be for long, it's just this chapter and part of the next, then there will be the trial but it's _not_ going to be the whole fic about that. Just a few chapters, then there will be fluff, the plot will thicken, then even more fluff!!
> 
> Second thing, if you don't like this fic anymore or where it's headed, you can unsubscribe whenever you want, no hard feelings.
> 
> And third, I will finish posting this story, whether people will continue to like it or not. It took me some time and dedication to write it, and I actually _enjoyed_ writing it. I love what I did and the conclusion I gave to it. I think going through a little pain is worth when there will be a great ending.
> 
> With that being said, have a little hope and enjoy!

Five days.

That was how long Oliver had been in prison, and his situation got worse every day.

First, they arrested him with false accuses, _again_. Then, they took him directly to Iron Heights, skipping the 48 hours of detention for questioning at the precinct. They didn't even let him talk to his lawyer.

On his first day, the guards shaved his head. Apparently, it was some kind of procedure every new inmate had to go through. It didn't make any sense, but they did it.

On his second day, the guards 'forgot' to let him out of his cell the entire day.

On his third day, they told him he had a visitor, but when it came to facing the person in the visitor's room the guards said there were problems with some documents, so he couldn't see anyone.

On his fourth day, they 'finished' any kind of food and had nothing to give him.

And now, on his fifth day, an idiot kept bothering him.

"Hey!" The man tried to catch his attention for the umpteenth time. "We heard you like to beat your woman."

Oliver closed his eyes and breathed deeply. For five days he listened to whatever those people said about him, but ignored them, wanting to avoid any problem, at least until his trial next week. But now people seriously needed to stop thinking that about him.

Oliver opened his eyes again and stared coldly at the man.

"We're in here for the same thing." He said pointing at himself and three other inmates next to him.

"I have never, _never_... hurt my girlfriend." Oliver replied, his voice rough from disuse, these being the first words he said in days.

"Then why the fuck are you in here?" One of them asked.

Oliver stood and towered over the guy, who gulped at his sudden reaction.

"Because I killed a man." He replied in a cold voice and watched as the man took a step back.

"I saw her once." Another guy said. "Your girlfriend... You were both on tv when they let you out on bail. She's pretty hot. I bet she already found someone else who treats her right, you know what I mean." He said as he vaguely mimed thrusting his hips and a slapping motion, making all of his friends laugh.

Oliver saw red.

He punched the guy straight in the face, who fell to the ground shocked. Oliver kneeled on top of him and began to hit him again and again. His actions started a fight in the group.

Oliver easily fought off a few guys, but then more men joined them, and he started to have trouble handling the situation. He did his best as he resorted back to his training, but nine against one wasn't a fair fight, and some of them were able to hit him quite a few times.

The fight went on until the siren resounded in the room, and guards rushed inside, stun guns in their hands ready to be used.

"Everyone! On your knees, hands behind your heads!" They shouted.

Oliver delivered a few more hits to the idiot that dared to say those things about Felicity, and then he stopped. He did as the guards said, raised his hands and kneeled on the floor, the other inmates -those that weren't unconscious- were already in that position and they glared at him.

"Queen!" One guard yelled. "You come with us!"

He was roughly pulled on his feet and shoved toward a corridor. They walked and stopped in front of a single door. The guard opened it and told him to get inside.

"You'll stay in isolation until I say so." He spat out and slammed shut the door.

With a sigh, Oliver went to sit on the cot inside the room. He rested his back against the wall and stared down at his bloody hands.

He knew a couple of guys were in bad conditions, they didn't really give him a choice, so he had to fight back with everything in him. But he wondered if that was true. Maybe there was another way to stop people like them.

Automatically his thoughts went back to Cooper, and the day he killed him, once again second thinking his actions.

And even more doubts invaded his mind.

→

_This can't be happening._

That's what played in her head on repeat ever since the phone call she received yesterday. And now, sitting in front of Richard Seldon, his wife, and Adrian Chase, she couldn't help but glare at them.

"Thank you for coming with such short notice." Chase said in his DA voice.

"It's not like I really had a choice." Felicity told him bitterly.

Chase stared deeply into her eyes. Every time he looked at her, there was a challenge and something else… something that made her think he longed for her, but it didn’t make any sense.

"What my client is trying to say," Jean tried to take the situation into her hands, "is that she's here to hear what this story is all about. An explanation is appreciated, Mr. Chase."

"Of course." He said politely, finally looking away from her. "My client, Mr. Seldon, has told me about his concern for Ellie's safety in the environment she's currently living in. He's afraid the child might be suffering from emotional abuse, considering what Mr. Queen did to Miss Smoak five days ago, and probably even before then. For heaven's sake, maybe Mr. Queen hit her too-"

"He didn't do anything." Felicity interrupted him fiercely. "Oliver never hit me or Ellie, and if you dare to say-"

"Felicity, please." Jean told her with a placating hand on her arm. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then nodded at the lawyer.

Chase gave her a small smile and Felicity shuddered. "Not to mention the fact that you knowingly put her in an unsafe environment. And there's always the possibility of her being exposed to sexually inappropriate behavior."

"What?" Felicity whispered in shock.

"Care to explain any further?" Jean said in a steely voice.

"Well," Chase started, "my client thinks that Miss Smoak might... _entertain_ some men other than Mr. Queen, with Ellie in the same apartment, if not the same room, during the sexual act."

Felicity couldn't believe her ears.

"This is unacceptable." Jean said.

"That's why we are here." Chase continued, looking at the two other people in the room. A man and a woman from Child Services, who were staring at her with unreadable expressions.

"This is all made up." Felicity told them.

"On what basis do you make such a statement?" Jean asked him.

Chase searched something in a folder, and when he found it, he placed it on the table. It was a photo of her with John and Roy, taken from afar.

They were leaving Big Belly Burger, their food in the bag John was carrying, Felicity had an arm wrapped around Roy's shoulders as she held him close to her, and they were all laughing.

She remembered that day as if it was yesterday.

Roy had just said something about Ellie having Oliver wrapped around her little fingers, and they laughed because they knew it was the truth.

That was the first time after Cooper's death that she left the apartment without Oliver, who was at home recovering from the gunshot wound and spoiling Ellie with cuddles.

It was the first time Felicity went outside and wasn't afraid of something bad happening.

"Mr. Seldon is afraid that Miss Smoak might be having an affair with Mr. Harper or Mr. Diggle, if not the both of them." Chase said. "And Ellie might be exposed to their inappropriate behavior."

"This is ridiculous." Felicity argued.

"Mr. Chase, you know that this photo doesn't mean anything." Jean said. "I only see three friends having a good time, and nothing in here screams sexual tension."

"So," he continued as if they didn't speak, "Mr. Seldon, as the only other blood relative still alive, asks for Ellie's full custody."

_This isn't happening._

First Oliver, twice, and now Ellie. She couldn't lose her too.

She knew they were going to talk about Ellie, the two people from Child Services were enough proof of that, and when yesterday they called her, they told her to bring her daughter too. But something like this...

"Felicity?"

She heard Jean call her name in worry and Felicity realized she had closed her eyes. Beads of sweat started to form on her forehead, as her breathing increased and she felt nauseous.

"I'd never do something like that." Felicity whispered. "I've never cheated on Oliver, and I would never hurt my daughter, physically or emotionally. The same goes for Oliver, he never hurt us in any way."

The woman from Child Services, Carol, looked at her with kind eyes. "Before taking any request into consideration, and if you don't mind Miss Smoak, we would like to see your daughter for a minute." She gently asked.

Felicity felt panic rising in her chest as she looked at Jean, who was thinking fast about their next move. She motioned for her to get closer, and whispered so the others didn't hear.

"I think it's better if we do that. They'll see Ellie is fine, and we'll resolve this quickly. If you refuse they might request a more invasive investigation."

Felicity hesitated for a minute. She didn't want them to get close to her daughter or ask questions that might disturb her. But she didn't want to risk an investigation. And she needed to trust Jean, so she gave her a small nod.

Ignoring the way the room kept spinning around her, Felicity tried to stand, but her legs shook under her and she had to sit again, taking deep calming breaths. Jean put a reassuring hand on her arm and went to the door.

Felicity watched as Grace Seldon looked away, trying to hide the tears that had formed in her eyes. She got the feeling that the woman didn't want to be there, and Chase didn't even acknowledge her, so Mr. Seldon probably forced her to be present.

Maybe if she talked to her-

Her thoughts were interrupted by Ellie walking into the room with Donna. Her daughter immediately ran to her, and Felicity picked her up, making her sit on her lap. As she hugged Ellie, she heard Chase and Mr. Seldon whisper to each other.

"That's her, you should tell them she-"

"I need to think if to use that or not." Chase responded.

Felicity had no idea of what they were talking about, but before thinking any further, she felt Ellie tremble in her arms.

She looked down at her and noticed the way she glanced at Chase and Mr. Seldon. She was scared of them. Felicity held her close to her chest, trying to make her feel safe and glared at the men, who were busy with their staring contests. Richard with Donna, who stayed near the door, and Chase… Chase was staring at Felicity in a weird way, making her feel uncomfortable. Mrs. Seldon though, she smiled at Ellie, it was a small one but it looked sincere.

The woman from Child Services addressed Ellie. "Hi. My name is Carol." She said with a warm smile. "You're Ellie, right?"

Her daughter watched the people in the room with a nervous expression, then gazed up at her. "Mommy?" She whispered.

"That's okay, honey." Felicity tried to reassure her. "You can answer the question." Ellie looked at the woman and nodded shyly.

"Ellie, I just have two questions for you, then you can go, I promise. And if you don't want to answer that's okay, you won't be in any trouble, and no one will get angry."

Ellie nodded again, and Carol put the photo in front of her. "Can you tell me who are these people?"

Felicity held her breath as Carol's colleague, Paul, intently studied Ellie's reaction. But Ellie, being the amazing kid she was, just smiled when she recognized them.

"This is my mommy." She said, pointing her finger on the picture. "This is uncle Digg, and that's uncle Roy."

"They are your uncles, wow. Can you tell me something about them? Like, what do you do when they are around?"

Ellie thought hard about what to say. A smile appeared on her face when she found something.

"Uncle Roy always tells me funny stories on auntie Thea, and she does the same on him and daddy. We always have pillow fights, and I win all the times." She said with a grin, then looked up at Felicity in worry. "But he says not to tell you and daddy."

Felicity smiled down at her and tightened her embrace. "It's alright, sweetheart. We already know about them."

Ellie relaxed again and went back to look at the picture. "Uncle Digg plays hide and seek with me, Sara and JJ, and he makes funny voices to make us laugh so he can find us."

As Ellie talked, Felicity watched the three people in front of her. Chase had an unreadable expression on his face, Richard looked bored, annoyed even, and Grace was smiling at Ellie's words.

"Well, your uncles sound really funny." Carol said.

"Yes! They're the best uncles in the world." Ellie told them with enthusiasm.

Carol looked at Paul, and they nodded at each other. "Thank you, Ellie. You've helped us a lot." The woman said.

"Really?" Ellie asked her with wide eyes.

"Yes. Now, do you mind waiting outside for a few more minutes? We need to finish to talk to your mom." She told her gently.

Ellie looked up at her and Felicity smiled. She bent down and kissed the top of her head.

"Go with grandma Donna, I'll be out very soon." She promised, hoping it wasn't going to be a lie.

"Okay, mommy." She jumped down to the floor and skipped to Donna, who grabbed her hand and smiled politely to the people in the room. Her eyes zeroed in on Mr. Seldon and sent him a cold look before she turned and left, quietly closing the door. She needed to know what her mother was up to.

"I think we've heard enough." Paul spoke for the first time since they started this.

Felicity's hands shook, and she had to rest them on her legs so the others won't see how scared she actually was.

"Mr. Chase..." Carol started. "I think that child's reaction was proof enough of what kind of environment she's living in. We don't see the need for further investigations. Ellie will stay with her mother and-"

"With all respect for your judgment..." Chase started to say but was interrupted by Paul.

"When that girl looked at the picture, she wasn't afraid or uncomfortable. She was actually happy to see familiar faces, even if they were just in a photograph. Miss Smoak, Mr. Diggle, and Mr. Harper are not a threat for Ellie. So we reject your client's request for full custody of the child."

"But she brought her daughter in an unsafe environment." Chase insisted. "Mr. Queen abused Miss Smoak and she knowingly-"

Before Felicity could snap, Carol spoke again. "That is yet to be established in a courtroom. If Mr. Queen will be considered guilty of domestic abuse then we’ll request an investigation. Now, Ellie will stay with her mother."

Felicity let out the breath she was holding, and she noticed Grace did the same.

"This is bullshit!" Mr. Seldon said, slamming his hand on the table.

"Richard, calm down." His wife quietly told him.

"No, I won't calm down. This woman and that Queen guy killed our son, and they'll keep the only thing that remains of him." He exclaimed.

"Did you notice how Ellie looked at you?" Paul asked him. "Because while you were busy looking at the ceiling, I watched her. And she looked at you in fear. Tell me, how can you still want to take care of her after her reaction?"

"And let's not start on your behavior right now." Carol added.

"My client is obviously upset about the whole situation, please don't take any offense." Chase said.

"I think Miss Smoak is free to go home with her daughter then." Jean said standing up from her chair. "Without having to worry about people thinking of her as a bad mother, a cheater, and a no-good."

"Of course, Mrs. Loring." Carol said shaking her hand.

Felicity stood too, and shook both Carol and Paul's hands with a quiet "Thank you."

She could finally go back home, to take care of her daughter and continue her researches on Richard Seldon. Things were missing from his laptop and phone, she knew he was hiding something. And she was getting close to find out what it was.

She turned around to leave and heard Cooper's parents whispers.

"I told you, it wasn't fair to-" Grace began.

"I don't give a damn of what you say." He interrupted her in a harsh voice.

Felicity turned back to the couple. Grace looked down at the floor, obviously hurt by her husband's words, and he ignored her completely. She must have felt her stare because she glanced up at Felicity, and gave her a small sad smile, before looking down again.

At that moment, Felicity saw herself in the woman. A man talked to her without respect, and she felt ashamed for saying her thoughts, discouraged that her opinion meant less than zero and that she didn't matter. The sadness in Grace's eyes showed her it wasn't the first time it happened, nor it'd be the last.

Felicity realized how belittling it was when Cooper did the same thing to her. She wished she could do something to help Grace because she couldn't stand to see another woman being treated like that, but before she could say anything, Chase spoke again.

"Oh, Mrs. Loring, Miss Smoak. Did you receive the call from Judge McGarvey?" He asked.

"No. What about him?" Jean replied while checking her phone for missed calls.

"Well, they changed the date for Oliver Queen's trial. It's not next week." Chase gave them a wicked smile.

"It starts in two days."

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you tomorrow with the next chapter!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! I want to thank all of you for your kind words, they mean a lot to me. Just to be clear, what I said in the notes of the last chapter wasn't referred to anyone in particular, I just wanted to say what I was thinking :) 
> 
> Anyway, here's a new chapter! I think you'll enjoy this one...

Light suddenly blinded him.

Oliver threw an arm over his eyes to shield them as he tried to get his surroundings. Waking up so abruptly always left him with a sense of looming threats, and he didn't like it.

They left him in isolation for what he guessed were two days, without food or water. His injuries barely started to heal, as they didn't let him take care of them. It reminded him too much of his five years away when people tortured him and starved him.

Before he could adjust his vision, the door opened.

"Come on, inmate. Your lawyer needs to talk to you." The guard said.

 _Finally_. After a week he could ask Jean what was really going on.

Oliver slowly stood and followed the man, his eyes still sensitive to the light. As they walked, Oliver realized the fighting from the other day was worse than he first thought. Some guys managed to get a few good hits, leaving him with a throbbing leg that made him limp, bruised ribs that hurt every time he took in a breath, a swollen wrist, and he guessed his face wasn't any better.

The guard opened a door and motioned for him to enter, he did and froze on the spot.

Oliver thought only Jean was going to be there, he didn't expect to see Felicity standing next to her. They immediately turned to look at him and gasped upon seeing him like this.

"Oh my god, Oliver! What happened to you?" Felicity said as she walked to him, her hands gently cradled his face, careful of his bruises and cuts.

Oliver couldn't focus on her words at the moment because she was finally there in front of him, glad that they could have physical contact after a week of being apart.

Oliver gave her a small smile. "I missed you." He whispered.

Felicity pulled him closer to her and gingerly wrapped her arms around his torso, not caring that he was dirty or bloody.

"I missed you too. But Oliver... You're hurt, did they beat you? And what happened to your hair? You look pale and tired..." Her voice was full of concern for him.

Her trembling hands ran over his back as if to make sure he was still in one piece. He slightly pulled away from her, enough so he could look into her eyes as he spoke to her and Jean.

"There was a fight between inmates. And the guards shaved my head first thing as I arrived here. They said it's some kind of procedure." Oliver explained, avoiding the details of the fight.

"This is unacceptable." Jean said in disbelief. "First, they wouldn't even let me see you, then this. Oliver, please tell us everything that happened so I can think of a way to bring them down for how they treated you."

He motioned for them to sit, mainly because he needed to rest his leg that still hurt. Felicity moved a chair that was against the wall and sat directly next to him, grabbing his hands. Oliver was grateful for the contact, he needed her strength to face the situation.

"Well... they shaved my head, then forgot to let me out of my cell. They told me I had a visitor, but there were problems with the documents so I couldn't see anyone. Another day they said they had finished any kind of food so I didn't get any, and I had a fight with other inmates. I've been in isolation since then, which happened around two days ago, I think." Oliver said in one go.

The entire time Felicity looked at him with wide and scared eyes, as tears rolled down her cheeks. He gently wiped them away with his thumb and gave her a small tired smile.

"I'm okay."

"No, you're not." She whispered brokenly.

"Felicity is right, Oliver." Jean told him sternly as she stood again. "I'm going to get you something for those wounds, then I'll talk to whoever runs this place. What happened is unacceptable and I'll make sure they pay for it." She looked at Felicity. "Can you update him on everything?"

"Yeah." She replied as Jean stormed out of the room, then they were alone.

"I'm happy to see you." He told her.

"Oliver..."

"There wasn't a day that went by… there wasn’t an hour that went by when I didn't think about you or Ellie." He gave her a smile. "Where is she? Is she okay?"

Felicity sniffled and held his hands tightly. "She's at home with my mother and Roy. She misses you, a lot. We all miss you, but it's been especially hard for Ellie. She doesn't really understand what's going on, but I made sure she knows you didn't abandon her."

Oliver sighed. "Thank you." She nodded, but he could see there was more she wasn't saying. "Felicity?"

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, then looked at him again.

Before she could speak the door opened, a woman dressed as a prison guard entered the room. In her hands she had a first aid kit, a bottle of water, and a snack.

"Mrs. Loring said to bring this to you." She put everything on the table. "If you need anything else I'll be right outside."

"Thank you." Felicity said as Oliver nodded.

The woman left, and Felicity didn't waste time. She grabbed some gauze and poured antiseptic on it, as he drank the entire bottle of water, the first he had in almost 48 hours.

"It's inhuman not to give someone food and water." She said through gritted teeth.

"It's not the first time it happened to me." He quietly reminded her. He told her a lot about what happened during his five years away, and he knew she instantly understood he was talking about that.

"That doesn't make it better."

She cradled the uninjured side of his face and gently cleaned his cuts. "Why did they hurt you like this?" She whispered.

"I started it." Oliver didn't know if he should tell her everything about it, but one glance at her eyes and he knew he needed to say it. "Some idiots... they said things about you, things I didn't like. They made suggestions and I... snapped."

She briefly closed her eyes, and Oliver noticed her black eye was slowly fading away. After seven days from her encounter with that masked man, the bruise was still visible. It angered him that someone did this to her.

As she was lost in her thoughts, he took his chance to ask a question of his own. "Can you please tell me what's bothering you? Other than this situation?"

Oliver watched as Felicity took a deep breath before she started to talk, going back to take care of his injuries.

"A few things happened while you were in here." Her voice slightly trembled. "Jean and I, we came here every single day, but the guards said that you refused to see anyone, even your lawyer."

"I'd never refuse to see you." He told her with conviction. She needed to know that. "They didn't tell me anything. Only one time and then they said that thing about the documents."

"Well, they lied. I can assure you we came every day." She took a clean gauze and continued her work. "Richard Seldon and Adrian Chase tried to convince the press that I'm a gold-digger, who is after your money _and_ the company. They say I endured a few years of abuses so one day I could report you and get everything you have. They also say I forced you to adopt Ellie so I could ask you to pay child support, aka more money."

Oliver had to suppress the instinct to punch something. He hated that people could think so little of her.

"Don't worry, everything's resolved. Thea took care of it. She's pretty good with this press stuff." Felicity reassured him but hesitated with what she had to say next.

"Hey." Oliver put his hand under her chin and made her look at him. "What is it?"

She finished cleaning his cuts, then dropped the gauze on the table. As Felicity stared into his eyes, he knew it was serious.

"Richard Seldon asked for full custody of Ellie."

Oliver stopped breathing. His brain understood the words, but it was like he didn't want to register them.

"They can't..." He stuttered. "Please tell me-"

"He didn't get it." She told him, grasping his hands. "In front of Child Services, they tried to accuse me of abusing emotionally of Ellie. They said I knowingly raised her in an unsafe environment when you were abusing me. He suggested that I had a disturbing sexual behavior in front of her. That you and I might have had sex when she was there, and that I did it again with John and Roy behind your back." Felicity said in disgust.

With every word she spoke, Oliver's anger grew more and more. These people were out of their minds.

"Child Services didn't believe them?" He asked.

"They wanted to see Ellie in person. They showed her a photo of me, John and Roy together, trying to understand how that made her feel. Seeing how she was perfectly comfortable, they knew the insinuations were false. So they decided to ignore the request, and Ellie will stay with me."

Oliver sighed in relief. "How did she react to that? Is she scared they'll take her away?" He wished he could be there to reassure his baby girl. The last thing he wanted was for her to be afraid.

"No, Ellie's fine. She has no idea why they asked her those things."

Oliver studied Felicity for a moment. She looked so tired. "And you? Are you scared?"

"I'm always scared." She told him truthfully. "I'm not scared to lose her like that for now, those people seemed sure of their decision. But, yeah, the thought is there in my mind." Felicity stared into his eyes. "And I'm scared of losing you."

Oliver pulled her closer until she was basically sitting in his lap, their arms around each other.

"Last week, after that guy attacked me and they arrested you, I started to do some digging. Someone put on a loop the cameras at SCPD a few days before arresting you the first time, probably when they made disappear the switchblade, so there's no proof of that evidence being compromised. And Richard is hiding something. I'm sure I'm on the right path to find out what, but I'm missing some connection-"

"Felicity, I don't want you to get in trouble for me." He told her sincerely.

"We're running out of time, Oliver." Felicity looked up at him. "Your trial is in a few hours."

That shocked him. "What? I thought it was next week."

"So they didn't tell you either." She looked angry. "Jean says that Chase probably sped up things. So we won't have enough time to think of a solid plan to prove your innocence. Either that or they don't want us to find out about something."

"It's probably both." He said with a sigh. "What will they process me for today? Murder or abuse?" He wasn't sure how all of this worked, he had never been on a trial before.

"Both." Felicity said grimly. "Jean says they are connected because -as Chase puts it- you killed Cooper when he found out you were abusing me, and he tried to help me."

Felicity started to tear up as she stared into his eyes.

"God, Oliver, what do we do if they won't believe us?" Felicity asked him, her voice full of terror, and Oliver pulled her close until she rested her head against his chest.

"We have to believe that everything will be fine." He took a deep breath. "But, if that won't happen and I end up in prison... Felicity, you have to promise me that you'll stop your researches and won't do anything stupid."

"What?" She pulled away and looked at him. "You're telling me that you'll just accept a guilty verdict?"

"I _am_ guilty, Felicity. I killed Cooper. I ended a person's life. I need to pay for that." Oliver said emotionless.

She stared back at him in shock. "I can't believe what you're saying."

Oliver grabbed her hands and looked down at them, unable to stare into her eyes. "I thought about my actions a lot, while I was in here. I thought about what other ways I could have used to stop him instead of killing him. Especially in the last two days, when I was in isolation-"

"You let him get into your head." Felicity whispered. "You were alone and vulnerable, you let him into your head, just like it happened to me so many times. Don't do the same mistake." She told him in a strong voice as she squeezed his hands. "I was there that day. I saw him. He didn't give you any other choice. It was either us or him."

Oliver looked at Felicity. He knew she was right, but those dark thoughts kept showing up in his mind and he couldn't get rid of them.

"The jury still won't believe us. Chase will convince them I'm abusing you. No matter what you say, they'll think you're afraid of me." He told her in defeat.

"Then I'll do everything in my power to show them I'm _not_." Felicity said with fire in her eyes.

"Felicity..."

"We're a couple, Oliver. So we fight for each other." She tightened her hold on his hands. "We protect each other. And we're gonna save each other."

"I can't save anyone from behind bars." Oliver told her with a shake of his head.

"You're wrong, Oliver." Felicity gave him a small smile. "Because you've already saved me. Me and Ellie. And I'm not talking about stopping Cooper. I'm talking about this week when the thought of getting you out of here was the only thing that kept me sane. It kept me going, no matter how tired or scared I was, you were there in my head encouraging me, giving me strength. Telling me to not give up."

She let go one of his hands, and ran her hand in a gentle caress over his new short hair, then rested it on his cheek, his stubble already growing into a beard in just a week.

"This is me telling _you_ to not give up." Felicity smiled at him, before turning serious again. "And know that I'll do anything to get you out of here."

Time seemed to slow down as they stared into each other's eyes, an entire conversation going on.

He saw Felicity suddenly tear up. "Oliver... I-"

The door opening interrupted her. They turned around and saw Jean, a grim look on her face.

"It's time."

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you tomorrow with the next chapter, and... you're going to like it, believe me!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are with the chapter that I've been _dying_ to post since the moment I wrote it! People are going to hate me... but also love me?? Yeah, just... Enjoy!
> 
> P.S. I know almost nothing on how trials work. For the sake of this fic, let's pretend everything makes sense and can happen in the real world. Also, the judge is _not_ corrupted in this fic, he's just doing his job.

Oliver entered the courtroom, just to find it full of people.

The first three persons he noticed were Felicity, Thea, and John, who were in the front row, right behind his chair, in silent support.

The press stood on the back, with cameras and microphones ready to capture the moment when Oliver Queen confessed what he really did three years ago to Cooper Seldon.

To his left, twelve people stared at him with mixed expressions. A jury composed of six men and six women, different ages, appearance, and social class. Some of them studied him, a few looked at him with compassion, others as if they already knew he was guilty.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Adrian Chase staring at him, a challenging small smile on his face. Richard Seldon next to him wore the same expression, and a woman, probably Mrs. Seldon, looked at him in what he could only describe as sadness and remorse.

His eyes fell again on the only three that mattered to him. Oliver noticed how Felicity and Thea tightly held hands, and he was happy to see that they could at least lean on each other.

As he approached his seat, Oliver couldn't help but keep his head down. They let him take a quick shower and gave him the clean suit Felicity brought him, but the signs of his fight were still visible on his face. Even if Felicity already saw him, he didn't want his sister and his best friend to see him like this. Weak and powerless. At least Ellie wasn't there, she already had to watch as they took him away in handcuffs, she didn't have to see him again in a similar situation.

Oliver reached his chair next to Jean, he turned and held out his hands so the officer could take off the handcuffs, just when the clerk spoke.

"All rise. Docket number 11-19-41-73, the people vs. Oliver Jonas Queen."

He rubbed his thumb over the thin line the handcuffs left on his wrist as he took a deep breath.

Judge McGarvey took his seat and addressed the lawyers. "Status of the parties?"

"Ready for trial." Jean responded.

"Ready for trial." Chase echoed.

"Then let's begin."

Everyone sat after the judge's words, except Adrian Chase who made his way in front of the jury.

"Oliver Queen is a hero." Chase announced to them. "He is, according to him and his friends. They will tell you that he saved a woman from her abusive ex-boyfriend, but the truth is way darker than this." He stated, looking at him. "The truth is that three years ago he killed Cooper Seldon in cold blood because that poor man got in the way between him and Felicity Smoak. Mr. Queen abused of Miss Smoak, Cooper tried to stop him, and that had cost him his life. Cooper Seldon didn't deserve to die, he was just a man who wanted to do some good, helping the woman he loved."

Oliver had to resort to his self-control to not snap at his words. He wasn't sure what bothered him the most, the fact that they accused him of being abusive or the way they tried to portray Cooper as a good man.

"In this trial, we'll discuss everything that led to the _murder_ ," Chase glared at him, "of an innocent man. And how people can just get away with abuses if they have the right connections."

He went back to his chair, as Jean stood and went to stand in front of the jurors.

"A week ago, Oliver Queen was CEO of the most important company in the city. In that time, he has gone from being accused of murder to being arrested for abuse. He spent a week in jail where he was denied food and water for days, denied to get out of his cell, denied to see his own lawyer, no one stopped other inmates when they beat him, and they didn't let him take care of his injuries." Jean looked at every single person in front of her. "There's only one explanation on how everything went wrong in so little time." She turned and looked at both Chase and Seldon. "Corruption. It runs through this city like a cancer, compromising some city officials while discrediting others like the defendant." She said pointing at him.

Oliver closely watched the people of the jury. Most of them were listening, but a few of them looked bored. These people were going to decide his fate, and they weren't even trying to pay attention. That angered him.

"Oliver Queen is a good man." Jean continued. "He found a woman and her daughter in a difficult situation and offered them his help, asking nothing in return. With time he started to care about them until he finally realized he loved them, and they loved him back. Mr. Queen would never hurt his family, and by the end of this trial you'll be sure of that too. Just like you'll be sure he stopped Cooper Seldon in self-defense, to _save_ his family."

When his lawyer finished, she went back to sit next to him, and Oliver waited with bated breath what came next.

"Mr. Chase, please call your first witness." The judge said.

He stood and cleared his throat. "The people call Matt Peterson."

Jean leaned closer to him. "Who is he?"

"I have no idea." Oliver responded, trying to recall the name but he came up empty-handed.

The door behind them opened, and a man walked in. Oliver immediately recognized him.

"We're going to start with what happened on the night of June 30, 2014, when everything began." Chase announced to the jury.

Oliver inhaled sharply. That was the night he found Felicity unconscious in her apartment after Cooper first attacked her.

It was the night they met.

"Mr. Peterson, can you please tell us your occupation?" Chase asked after the man took a seat at the stand.

"Yes, I'm a paramedic at Starling General Hospital." The man replied.

"And what can you tell us about that night?" Chase asked.

"My partner and I were called in for an emergency. When we arrived on the site John Diggle, Mr. Queen's bodyguard, lead the way to the apartment where Miss Smoak was unconscious on the floor, with clear signs of a beating."

Chase hummed in thought. "Mr. Queen was there too?"

"Yes. He was holding a child in his arms. Miss Smoak's daughter."

"I see. Was his behavior questionable?"

"Well... At first, Mr. Queen told us he found her like that, then when we said Child Services were going to take the baby until Miss Smoak recovered he said she was his girlfriend, but he didn't seem sincere. Mr. Diggle was insistent that we couldn't ask questions as he took Mr. Queen's side. The man also had a bleeding cut on his leg, said Miss Smoak woke up for a moment and didn't recognize him, so she attacked him."

Chase thanked him and went back to his chair.

Oliver wanted to scream, possibly break something. But he couldn't do that. He needed to keep his calm, especially for his family.

Jean made her way to the stand. "Mr. Peterson, you said Miss Smoak showed signs of a beating, right?"

"Yes."

"Can you describe those?" Jean asked.

"Objection, your Honor." Chase stood. "I don't think that's relevant to the case."

"It is, your Honor," Jean countered, "if we can establish whether Oliver Queen inflicted those injuries or not."

The judge quickly thought about it, then looked at the witness. "Please, answer the question."

"Uh, okay. I recall Miss Smoak had a bruise on her jaw, a split lip, a sprained wrist and hand-shaped bruises on both of her arms." The man listed.

Oliver clenched his hands in tight fists. Images of that night flashed in front of his eyes and the anger he felt then was nothing compared to what he felt now, because now people thought _he_ was the one who gave Felicity all of those injuries.

He heard a harsh intake of breath and immediately knew it was Felicity, experiencing once again the moments she received those hits. Even if he had his back on her, Oliver was completely aware of her. He knew she was nervously biting her lower lip in worry as her trembling hand nervously played with the necklace around her neck, her other hand tightly gripped his sister's.

Without turning around, Oliver deliberately unclenched his hand and slowly lowered it on the table, silently telling her to relax. He knew she understood him when he heard a more controlled breath.

"Anything else in particular?" Jean asked him.

"I'm pretty sure in my report I wrote that Miss Smoak had traces of blood under her nails. Most likely she scratched her attacker." The paramedic recounted.

"And Mr. Queen showed signs of scratches? Or bruised knuckles after possibly delivering punches?" Jean asked.

The man hesitated, a frown formed between his eyebrows as he thought. "Uh, no. I don't think I saw any of those things on him."

"And the baby looked distressed or injured?" Jean studied him.

"No."

"So, the child wasn't hurt as she stayed in the arms of Mr. Queen, and he didn't have bruises or scratches." Jean concluded.

"Except the cut on the leg, that's correct, he didn't have them." The paramedic confirmed.

"I don't have other questions, your Honor." Jean said, walking back to her chair. She subtly nodded at him.

One for them, zero for Seldon.

→

Felicity let out a relieved breath when she saw Jean nod at Oliver. Things were okay for now, but as the paramedic left the room, she found herself studying the jury.

Most of them looked deep in thought, a few nodded as if they believed the last thing they heard, but three of them were unfocused. Since the first moment they entered the room, the men looked bored, and something about them screamed troubles.

Felicity had the feeling they might be corrupted. That thought made her stomach roll, and she had to take deep breaths to keep down what little breakfast she had that morning.

The door behind them opened again, and Felicity had to look twice. Quentin Lance took a seat at the stand. She saw Oliver tense up, not expecting to see there the man he looked up as a father.

"Captain Lance," Chase started, "you were the one who took Mr. Queen's statement at the hospital, after Miss Smoak was brought in after the attack, right?"

"Yes." The man said curtly, clearly unhappy of sitting there.

"I just have one question, but it's not about your report. Mr. Peterson declared that Oliver Queen didn't seem sincere when he said Miss Smoak was his girlfriend." Chase walked closer to the stand. "You've known that man for a very long time, so… was he in a relationship with Felicity Smoak or not?"

She didn't like where this was going.

"They are both adults, free to do whatever they want." Quentin simply answered.

"But did you know if they were in a relationship or not?" Chase insisted.

Lance looked at Oliver, then at her, an apology written on his face. "No, I didn't know."

"Did they know each other, at least?" Chase asked. "Or you left the baby with a stranger?"

"He's not a stranger." Lance countered. "Like you said, I've known him for a very long time. I trust him."

"But Mr. Queen was a stranger to them, to Miss Smoak and her daughter, _Ellie_." A wave of nausea hit Felicity when he mentioned her daughter, and then he continued. "He lied about the relationship and you left an innocent child in the hands of a possibly violent man."

Felicity couldn't argue with that. No matter how much she trusted Oliver now, how she knew he was a good man, Felicity didn't know him back then.

The room started to seem smaller than it actually was, the too many people inside making it feel like there wasn't enough air for her as she breathed heavily. White spots danced in front of her eyes as panic hit her.

It wasn't the fact that Oliver was a stranger that night, but the thought of someone else coming to her 'rescue'. What if a real violent man -other than Cooper- came to her that night? What if they took Ellie? What if-

Felicity shot up from her chair and rushed out of the door. She vaguely heard people murmuring in the room and her name being called -Oliver, she was sure it was him- but she couldn't look back, she needed to leave, immediately.

She ran to the bathroom and emptied her stomach. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she tried to contain her cries. Felicity sat on the cold floor for less than a minute, before a quiet knock echoed in the room.

"Felicity? Can I come in?" John's gentle voice reached her ears.

She wiped her mouth with the paper and flushed the toilet.

"Yeah." Was her quiet whisper, heard by John as he slowly opened the door.

He gave her a quick look, before sitting next to her and opening his arms. With a sob, she went to rest her head on his shoulder, as he wrapped her in his brotherly embrace, trying to comfort her.

"I'm sorry." Felicity said brokenly.

"You have nothing to apologize for." John calmly told her.

"I just made it worse. _Again_. First, I flinched away from Oliver after that reporter got too close to me, resulting in the media posting those photos and videos on every possible website. And now I leave the courtroom when Chase accuses Oliver of being a creep or something."

Felicity sniffled as shivers ran through her body, and John ran his hands over her arms.

"They'll think I'm afraid of him."

"No. Jean will convince them you couldn't stay there and listen as the man you love is accused of things he didn't do, things he tried to _prevent_ from happening to you." John's soothing voice calmed her a little. "But you and I both know that's not what made you sick like this." John told her gently.

Felicity froze.

"What?"

He gave her a small smile. "I've spent most part of the last week with you, Felicity. _I know._ "

Words failed her, as two lines on a plastic stick flashed in front of her eyes. "You know that I'm pregnant?" She whispered. For the first time since she found out, Felicity said those words out loud and suddenly it felt real.

"A week ago you fainted, almost did that again with Child Services, you’re constantly tired and have nausea, your emotions are all over the place... I have two kids, Felicity, I think I can recognize the signs of a pregnant woman."

There was no point in denying what he already figured out, so she just closed her eyes and let him support her weight.

"How are you feeling?" John checked.

"Tired. But mostly scared." She looked up at him, her lower lip was trembling but she tried to stay strong. "I don't know what to do. I'm not sure I should tell him before the end of the trial because I don't want it to distract him. But at the same time, it seems wrong to keep this from him."

"They're both valid reasons."

"I was going to tell him the night he got arrested." She confessed. "Then there was the accident with the reporters, he got arrested again, and... it got delayed. But when I saw him again this morning, I almost told him everything."

"And what stopped you?" John asked and Felicity shrugged.

"We got interrupted again."

"Then I think you don’t need to plan it, but just wait and _feel_ the right moment." John advised her.

Felicity sighed. "I don't think I can go through another pregnancy alone." A single tear escaped her eye and she angrily wiped it away. "And Oliver doesn't deserve to stay in prison. I need him. Me, Ellie and this baby, we all need him."

"You're not alone. You have me, Lyla, your mother, Thea, Roy, your friends in Central City. But most of all you have Ellie." His gentle voice surrounded her like a safety blanket.

"I know."

"We're all here for you, Felicity. And we'll find a way to prove Oliver's innocence." John gave her a kiss on the top of her head. "I'm sure you'll be the one to find it."

"But what if we won't be able to do that before the end of the trial?"

John couldn't give her an answer, and Felicity did her best to not break down again.

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't wait to read all of your thoughts on this one!!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So she's pregnant... yay!!
> 
> Here's a new chapter. Enjoy!

His tension grew the more she was out of his sight. Oliver listened as Jean tried to get the jury on their side after Chase suggested he might have corrupted Lance, but he wasn't really focused. His mind kept going back to Felicity and how she looked distressed when she ran out of the room.

Oliver was sure the topic made her feel sick, so she needed fresh air and a private place where no one would see her like that. He was grateful when John followed her a few moments later, even though he wished he could be the one comforting her. But he couldn't do that, and the thought made him clench his hands in tight fists.

Jean came back to sit next to him as Lance stood and left the room. The hope Oliver felt after the first witness was replaced by dread, as Chase probably got the jury on his side with Lance's testimony. The man tried his best to help them, but the District Attorney was able to twist his actions and words as he liked. He was good at his job, Oliver had to admit it.

And he couldn't deny what the man had said. Felicity didn't know him back then, she didn't know that he would never hurt a child or a woman. Quentin had let him keep Ellie for those hours at the hospital and that could be used against them.

The door behind him opened again. Oliver turned around, feeling relieved as Felicity took her seat next to Thea, but she looked pale and exhausted, and that worried him. Looking in his direction, she gave him a small smile, Oliver silently asked her if she was okay and Felicity nodded.

He watched as John put a protective hand on her shoulder and lightly squeezed it, making Oliver wonder if the situation was worse than she let on. Before he could silently question his best friend, Chase’s voice filled the room once again.

"The people call John Diggle as our next witness."

The man in question was still standing and looked taken aback. He wasn't on the list.

"Objection, your Honor." Jean stood. "John Diggle is not in the witness list we have. This is against-"

"The list was updated yesterday, Mrs. Loring." Chase told her with what was probably a charming smile. It just irritated Oliver.

"And, for some reason, I didn't receive this update." Jean subtly hinted to the corruption running in the system, again.

"Mrs. Loring, please." Judge McGarvey stopped them. "Let's continue with the program. Is John Diggle present in the room?" He asked, his eyes searching for him.

Oliver watched as his best friend, his brother, squared his shoulders, getting ready for a battle.

"Yes, your Honor. That would be me."

He made his way to the stand, and Chase approached him with measured steps.

"Mr. Diggle, we were talking about the first night Cooper Seldon _allegedly_ attacked Miss Smoak. Earlier, Mr. Peterson said you were present and didn't let them ask questions. Why is that?"

John raised his chin and stared him down. "Because Mr. Peterson and his partner were asking questions that had nothing to do with their job. They were supposed to assess Felicity's injuries and treat her accordingly. They should have been concerned about her health, not question Oliver's relationship with her."

Oliver watched as Chase clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes. Clearly, that wasn't the answer he was hoping to get out of him. With a look that screamed challenge, he walked back to his table and grabbed a folder.

"After this _supposed_ attack, Mr. Queen entrusted you with the safety of Miss Smoak. In other words, you became her bodyguard, is that correct?" He questioned, already knowing the answer.

"Yes, that is correct." John replied looking straight at Felicity with a brotherly smile.

Oliver's heart warmed at the thought that the man cared about her so much. She deserved the love of every single person present in her life.

"Then let's talk about what happened on the night of July 11, 2014." Chase announced glancing at the paper. "When you were directly involved in this story."

Oliver quickly thought back to the date, but nothing came to mind, and looking at John he knew he was in the same situation.

"You'll have to refresh my memory then."

"Of course, Mr. Diggle." Chase smiled. "On that night you and Mr. Queen broke into three apartments on the other side of the street from Mr. Queen’s place. Those apartments belonged to Susan Williams."

"Objection." Jean intervened. "Breaking and entering are not in the charges against my client."

The judge looked back at the DA. "Is your accuse related to the case?"

"Yes, your Honor. Susan Williams was arrested the next day as an accomplice of Cooper Seldon because..." He checked the papers again. "She helped Cooper to take some pictures of Mr. Queen, Miss Smoak, and her daughter in private moments. Pictures that Cooper apparently sent to Mr. Queen the previous morning."

"Miss Williams confessed everything." John firmly responded.

"Yes." Chase smiled. "Yes, she confessed... To Captain Quentin Lance, while you and Mr. Queen were present." Another jab at Quentin's corruption.

Jean stood and objected again. "Why is all of this relevant to the case?"

"Well, it is likely that Mr. Queen and Mr. Diggle broke into those apartments and shot those photos themselves. The next day they used them to frame Miss Williams and Cooper. And Isabel Rochev, but that's another story."

Oliver ran a hand through his short hair. Chase was turning everything on them, and in his twisted, sick way it made all sense. A stranger could see that as what really happened if they didn't know the truth.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Chase," John stopped his monologue, "but if Oliver was there with me in Miss Williams' apartments, how could he be in those photos?"

The man’s hand twitched, and he hesitated before speaking again. "Of course you were the one taking the pictures while he was in his own apartment with Miss Smoak and the child."

Jean stood next to him. "Objection, your Honor. This is all an assumption."

"Sustained. Mr. Chase, stick to the evidence." The judge gave him a pointed look.

"My apologies." He said smiling to the jury. "But while you're here, Mr. Diggle, there's one more thing I wanted to ask you." He searched another document in his case. "It's about what happened on January 6, 2015."

Oliver immediately turned to look at Felicity. She seemed to pale even more, as tears formed in both of their eyes. That was, without a doubt, the worst day of their lives.

Chase continued, unaware of their turmoil. "On that day, according to this report, Isabel Rochev sneaked into Queen Consolidated's Child Daycare and poisoned Miss Smoak's daughter with curare."

"I do remember what happened that day, Mr. Chase." John replied harshly.

Oliver didn't tear away his gaze from Felicity, knowing she needed his silent support as much as he needed hers. His hands itched to reach out to her and hold her tightly against his body, but their current situation made it impossible to do just that.

"So, what do you say about your inability to protect a child you were supposed to keep watch on?" Chase smiled. "That is, of course, if Isabel Rochev was the one who poisoned Ellie. And unfortunately, she's no longer alive to give us her side of the story."

"What are you insinuating?" Without looking at his friend, Oliver knew John was pissed.

"Well, it seems _convenient_ that Mr. Queen sent you a message about an attack -that never happened- and requested your presence somewhere else just when Isabel sneaked in, don't you think?"

This time Felicity shot a glare at Chase and Oliver turned to do the same. He was suggesting that it was part of Oliver's plan to poison Ellie.

What a sick bastard Chase was.

"A guy hacked his phone and confessed it." Oliver watched as John gritted his teeth, barely hiding his disdain for the man in front of him. "Oliver Queen saved that little girl's life. He'd never put her in danger."

"But _he did_ put her in danger. If not that day, then when _he_ attacked Miss Smoak five days later." Chase looked accusingly at Oliver. "On January 11, 2015, Cooper Seldon tried to rescue Felicity and Ellie. He knew Mr. Queen was abusing them and, that day, Cooper rushed to the apartment to save them. He found the defendant in a violent mood as he was beating Felicity, Cooper tried to stop him but Mr. Queen focused his rage on him. He unleashed his anger on the poor man, hitting him repeatedly, breaking his nose and a few ribs, as confirmed by the medical examiner." Chase looked at the jury. "Felicity tried to stop Oliver, shot him with a gun Cooper gave to her in case she needed to defend herself from him. But Oliver was able to snatch it from her grip and shot Cooper in cold blood. Killing him."

Oliver closed his eyes and sighed. He vaguely heard Jean shoot a few objections, but even if the judge was going to accept them, the jurors heard Chase's words.

The doubt was already implanted in their minds.

→

Felicity watched as Jean did her best to get the jury back on their side, but the situation was starting to look seriously bad. Chase was playing dirty, twisting words and events in his favor.

She felt sick at the way he described the day Cooper died. It was the complete opposite of what happened, and she couldn't believe how dedicated he was to win this trial and accuse Oliver, who just tried to protect them from the real monster.

For the next few hours, she assisted with a heavy heart as first Iris, then Caitlin went to the stand, and both explained how Cooper was abusive when they were in college and after graduation. They told everyone how he reacted when he found out about Ellie, sending Felicity to the hospital, and the many times he hurt and threatened her. They recounted how Felicity was finally happy since Oliver showed up in her and Ellie's lives, how it was impossible that Oliver was the one who abused her.

Their testimony helped to show Oliver's good heart, and what kind of bastard Cooper was. But after Chase's insinuations, she wasn't sure if their words were going to be taken into consideration.

They also had to sit there as Richard Seldon bragged about his son as he told everyone how Cooper was an excellent student, an amazing son who had a kind heart and wanted to help others.

If people only knew that Mr. Seldon was a bastard himself.

Felicity couldn't help but think back to what her mother told her yesterday. She had been angry at Donna when she told her about her visit to Richard at the Starling City Plaza. Her own mother going behind her back felt like a betrayal, but Felicity soon realized she was just trying to help.

The words he spoke to her made Felicity's blood boil. Add the way she saw him treat his wife, she knew who Cooper got that from.

The entire time Richard spoke, she looked at Grace Seldon. She was there to support her husband, but the woman didn't want to be there, that was very clear. She never spoke to him or Chase, she never looked disappointed or angry when the judge went against them. She just stared numbly in front of her.

Felicity wondered if there was any way to convince her to stop her husband.

She was brought back to the present when Chase directly looked at her, and Oliver clenched his hands in tight fists on the table.

"The people would like to hear what Felicity Smoak has to say on all of this."

She felt everyone's eyes on her.

Felicity knew this moment was going to come, but she didn't think she was ready. She was afraid to say the wrong thing and screw up everything.

What if a small detail was enough to incriminate Oliver? What if there was something in her behavior that the jury misunderstood? What if-

"Felicity."

It was a quiet whisper, his soothing voice surrounded her, and with a deep breath she glanced at him.

Oliver looked calm and relaxed, probably for her sake, and gave her a small smile with an encouraging nod.

_You have this._

_You can do it._

_You are not alone._

_I believe in you._

Felicity heard his unspoken words in her head, giving her strength. Ignoring everyone else, she closed her eyes and took another steadying breath, letting it out slowly. Thea's hand squeezed her arm in support and Felicity opened her eyes again.

She saw Chase and Richard staring at her with challenging looks, sure that they were going to destroy whatever she said.

With a new determination to prove them wrong, Felicity stood, took her time to fix her dress, then walked to the stand.

With each step she took, she felt her confidence grow, the exact opposite of what she thought she was going to feel when her time came. As she sat on the chair, she looked at Oliver again, a proud smile on his face at seeing her like this.

At that moment, Felicity knew she couldn't let anything distract her. Not her hate for Seldon, not the worry for Oliver, not her love for him or Ellie. Not even the tiny little life that was currently growing inside of her.

Of course, she needed to show emotions, or the jury would think she didn't care about the whole situation, but she had to stay focused.

After she gave herself a quick pep-talk, Felicity held her head high and stared down at Chase as he made his way to stand in front of her, that annoying smirk plastered on his face.

_You have this, Smoak._

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooh, I can't wait to post the next chapter! It's kind of different and... pretty interesting.
> 
> See you tomorrow!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for posting this later than usual, but work was a mess today...
> 
> Anyway... This chapter is a little different and I actually really _enjoyed_ writing it. It felt right.
> 
> I really don't want to spoil anything, so I'll just let you enjoy that!
> 
>  **Trigger warning:** as always abuse is going to be mentioned, and in this chapter they'll mention rape too but it didn't happen and never will in this fic.

He stopped in front of her.

She was holding her head high as if daring him to break her. She wasn't the same woman who ran out of the door just a few hours ago because she couldn't handle the situation. Felicity Smoak had found a new kind of strength with just a glance at her boyfriend.

It made Adrian smile.

He had been waiting for this moment for a long time, planned every little detail, every word he needed to say, but he never expected for this woman to challenge him with just a stare.

_Oh, it’s going to be fun._

Adrian cleared his throat. "Felicity-"

"It's Miss Smoak." She glared at him, her hands in her lap tightened in fists until her knuckles turned white. He didn't need to turn around to know Queen was shooting daggers at the back of his head.

Adrian smiled again. "Of course, my apologies Miss Smoak. It wasn't my intention to be disrespectful." He played it cool, but he had already started his game. "Since this story revolves around you, I think it's best if we start from the very beginning, from when you first met our beloved Cooper Seldon. What do you think about it?"

Judging by the deadly look in her eyes, Adrian knew she wanted to protest the 'beloved,' but thought better of it.

"Fine." Felicity replied through gritted teeth.

She was feisty, and he had to admit he liked it.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I met Cooper Seldon almost six years ago, when we were both in college."

Adrian let her talk for a long time. He listened as Felicity told her version of the story, the same version her friends recounted earlier.

She and Cooper met and 'fell in love,' he started to become aggressive with nasty words and comments, then she found out she was pregnant and he started to beat her. She found the courage to leave him, but he began to stalk her. So she ran away until her daughter was born and Felicity moved to Starling City after Queen Consolidated offered her a job. Queen showed up in her life, he saved and protected Felicity and her daughter when Cooper threatened and stalked them again. Cooper and Susan got arrested for what they did, then Isabel poisoned Ellie. Days after that, she had an accident and died, the same day Cooper broke out of prison and hurt Felicity. Queen stopped him again, and in self-defense he killed him.

The entire time Adrian let Felicity talk, sometimes he'd nod or look deep in thought, but it was all part of his act. He only had one goal: to win this case, no matter what. Richard Seldon had been clear on that.

Since the day they met two years ago, the man always told him he had no idea of what really happened to his son and actually didn't care about it. Richard confessed it was probably better if Cooper was dead, considering all of his mental problems, but he wasn't going to let him drag down the Seldon name in the mud.

Richard was a Lieutenant, if people believed he raised a sociopath then everyone, especially his agents, would lose their respect for him -they _did_ lose it for the last three years.- Adrian needed to show Cooper was a good man, something he was not, so Richard could be seen as a good man himself and be accepted again by his men and the rest of the city.

His wife Grace didn't want to go down this road, stating over and over again that even if Queen killed their son he did it to save a woman and her daughter, but her words meant nothing. Richard was the boss, and he didn't care about the methods Adrian was going to use, he just wanted results.

That was why it took Richard a full year to find the perfect person to accuse Queen, and then Adrian had needed two years to study this case before taking action. It took him a lot of dedication, many threats on his part, some bribing here and there, a few favors, and Richard's money, but, in the end, he was able to create a believable story that would incriminate Oliver Queen for murder and possibly abuse. He was going to win this trial, one more on the long list of his successes.

He _had_ to win.

And Adrian couldn't pass an opportunity to go against Queen. The hatred he had for that man only grew with time. What that bastard did to him all those years ago... He'll never forget.

He wanted to watch him rot in hell for the rest of his life.

If only Susan Williams accepted his deal… If she agreed to lie and testified against Queen, accusing him of corrupting Lance, denied her involvement with Cooper and accepted everything else he proposed, then the victory would already be in Adrian's hands.

But no, she wanted to stay out of this story and continue to stay in jail, hoping to get out in a few years, the right way, and go back to a boring life as a simple blogger.

Shaking those thoughts out of his head, he focused on Felicity. He understood why both Cooper -even in his state of mind- and Queen fell for her. She had a fire hidden deep inside her, a strength he already noticed the first time they officially met in front of Child Services. Adrian wondered if something happened in the last few months to change her attitude and make her more fierce than how Richard first described her, or after studying her past.

For a long moment he stared at her, _really_ stared at her.

_She's just like-_

She was so beautiful.

Her eyes were a nice shade of blue, piercing through his soul when she glared at him. Her cheeks flushed as she talked animatedly. Her voice constantly changed intonation, hard and cold when she talked about Cooper, soft and caring when she mentioned Queen or her daughter. Her hands never stilled, her red lips tantalizing as they moved fast with each word she spoke.

Adrian let himself imagine what it would be like to fuck her.

Would it be passionate? Or would they have angry sex? Would she blush when he saw her naked? Talk dirty to him? Scream? Or just moan? Would she scratch his back in the throes of passion or would he keep her pinned down on the bed? Were her lips as soft as they looked? What would they feel like when pressed to his body?

He closed his eyes for a second, breathing in and out to calm his raging body. As he opened them again, he noticed Felicity was still talking, unaware of his inner thoughts, as she told the jury how Queen was a good man, who never hurt her or their daughter.

When she had nothing more to say, she looked straight into his eyes, daring him to counter anything she had just said.

He smiled.

"Well... This is a very complicated story. I am so sorry to hear you say all of these things." Adrian ran a hand through his hair and made sure to look concerned for her as he stepped closer. "But, Miss Smoak... I need you to know that you can tell us the truth. I assure you that this man will never hurt you again, even if you go against him. This story made up by Mr. Queen-"

"This is _not_ made up." Felicity raised her voice as her calm facade started to crumble.

"Miss Smoak, you don't have to be afraid. If you collaborate with us, we can protect you, I assure you _I_ will protect you." Adrian placed his hand on hers where it rested on the stand, and she snatched it away in disgust.

"Don't you dare to touch me ever again." Her voice low and threatening. "And Oliver never, I repeat, _never_ hurt me or Ellie. _Cooper_ did. _Cooper_ threatened us. _Cooper_ abused me. _Cooper_ tried to kill me and my daughter. But Oliver..." Felicity looked at him in adoration as her voice became breathy.

It made Adrian feel sick.

"Oliver did everything in his power to protect us. He almost died for us. And he surely never laid a hand on me or our daughter." Felicity said with fire in her eyes.

Adrian was about to counter her words when Jean Loring stood from her chair.

"Your Honor, I think the prosecution is leading the witness to say what he wants."

The judge accepted the objection, and with a quick look at the jury, Adrian knew it was time to change tactics.

_You want fire? You'll have fire._

"Okay..." He clasped his hands in front of his face, deep in thought. "Okay, let's consider your words. Assuming what you say is the truth, and you're not speaking in fear of Mr. Queen, we still need to discuss a few things."

Adrian paced the floor in front of her for a few seconds, remembering all the things he was going to use against them in his Plan B.

He used those moments to take a good look at Queen and knew he was ready to bolt out of his chair and choke him. Good. The angrier Adrian made him, higher were the chances of getting a violent reaction out of him. It'd make things easier for Adrian to accuse him.

"You said that back in college Cooper abused you.” He waited for her to nod, before continuing. “Why you never reported him? Why you never pressed charges for stalking, abuse and rape?"

"Wait a minute." Felicity raised her hand to stop him. "I've never said he raped me. He-" She stopped, suddenly frozen as she was about to say something.

She looked as if a dark memory obfuscated her vision. Adrian could also see fear in her eyes as her breathing quickened. That soon disappeared the moment she looked at Queen. It was like he gave her strength with just one simple look.

It was so annoying.

"I was consensual." Felicity stated in a more controlled voice. "But that doesn't mean it was a nice experience, or that Cooper didn't hurt me emotionally with his behavior. And I've never pressed charges for stalking and abuse because his father was Lieutenant. I was afraid my report was going to be compromised."

"Miss Smoak, my client is a respectable man. He takes his job seriously. He'd never taint a report just because his son was the person accused. On the contrary, he would have done _anything_ to correct his son's -alleged- deplorable behavior." Adrian explained as he looked at Richard. The man in question nodded at the jury, silently telling them that Adrian was stating the truth.

"It doesn't change I was still afraid of things going against me." Felicity replied.

She wasn't going down easily, he had to give her that.

And he liked it.

"Alright." Adrian conceded. "But what about Mr. Queen? You didn't have a problem to trust him when his behavior screamed stalker. I mean, he showed up at your place -whether you knew him or not,- he insisted to keep your daughter with him, he made you live in his apartment, he killed your ex, and now everything points at him hurting you. You have visible bruises, and Cooper is not with us anymore. Who else could have done that if not Mr. Queen?" He asked looking at her expectantly.

" _This_ ," Felicity pointed at her fading black eye, "is the result of someone trying to frame Oliver." She looked at the jury. "A week ago I was on my way home from work when a masked man dragged me in an alley. He said that he needed to get his work done and did this. Someone staged it."

"Right." Adrian intervened. "But, around that time, the police received the call of a person stating they heard you scream in your apartment. When agents showed up, you had that black eye, and Mr. Queen had bruised knuckles as if he punched someone. You had them too on your hands. You tried to defend yourself but he hit you some more?"

She frowned at him as if he just said something weird, but quickly shook her head.

"For the last time, Oliver _never_ hit me!" She raised her voice, getting agitated. "A masked man punched me, Oliver had bruises because the day before a reporter got too close to me and he tried to keep him away, and I punched the wall out of frustration."

Adrian did his best to not smile. He had just led her right where he wanted her.

"So, not only Mr. Queen has anger issues, you have them as well. I wonder what Ellie thinks of the both of you." He shook his head dramatically.

Felicity stood from her chair and leaned over the stand, an accusing finger pointed at him. "Don't you even dare to talk about her. You don't know a _damn_ thing about what she thinks."

The room became quiet, not even a whisper in the audience.

Adrian expected Jean Loring to defend her witness or for the judge to reprimand Felicity on her outburst, but neither did anything. Apparently, they both agreed with Felicity's reaction.

They stared at each other for a few tense moments, neither wanting to back down first. Her feistiness intrigued him.

In the end, Adrian decided to take a different approach. "I apologize, Miss Smoak." He said, with a tilt of his head and his hands raised slightly in a sign of surrender. "I was out of line."

With a ragged breath, Felicity slowly sat again, her eyes never leaving his. But he couldn't let her distract him, not now.

Now... it was time for the final blow.

Adrian straightened his jacket and fixed his tie.

"You're right, Miss Smoak. I don't know what your daughter thinks of all of this. And I can't speak on her behalf."

He glanced around the room. The jurors looked interested in his next move, just like the reporters and the audience. Thea Queen and John Diggle seemed worried, and Oliver Queen...

Queen looked ready to murder him. Just what Adrian wanted.

He looked at the judge. "Your Honor, I think Miss Smoak's daughter could be of great help to decide if Mr. Queen is to be considered abusive or not. I'm asking to call her as a witness."

Like expected, the room exploded into chaos.

Felicity paled considerably, gone was the woman that stood up to him only moments ago, now afraid at the prospect of bringing her daughter in the middle of this story.

But what brought him pleasure was a commotion behind him as Queen’s voice roared in the room. This time Adrian was barely able to hide his smile.

He slowly turned around and looked at Queen. Three officers were restraining him as he struggled to get free. He was furious.

"Don't you dare to involve her! She's just a child, she has nothing to do with this! Leave her out!"

Reporters went crazy, their camera's flashes illuminated the room, the jurors whispered to each other as Jean Loring said something to the judge who banged the gavel with force, trying to get control of the situation again.

"Order in this court!" McGarvey yelled again and the room seemed to settle a little. "Mr. Queen, calm down immediately or I'll have to send you back to your cell."

His fists tightened and he tried to shove away the agents, his eyes never leaving Adrian's.

"Oliver."

It was a quiet whisper but Adrian heard it, and so did Queen. They both looked at Felicity, who was barely holding it together, as she wordlessly pleaded with him to calm down. Adrian watched in fascination the silent conversation going on between the two of them. Slowly the fight left Queen, the guards let go of him but they stayed alert in case he tried to do something stupid.

"Mr. Chase," Judge McGarvey addressed him, "I would prefer not to involve someone so young, but if you think that this child might be helpful then I'll accept your request."

The exact words he wanted to hear.

"Yes, your Honor. I think Ellie's testimony will be pivotal in this trial regarding Mr. Queen's charges of abuse."

"Fine. Miss Smoak, two agents will go and get your daughter. Who is she staying with at the moment?" The judge asked.

"My mother." She was barely able to say.

"Then the officers will bring her too, so your daughter will be with someone she knows and trusts while on their way here."

Things happened fast after that. Queen was brought in another room with his lawyer, Felicity stumbled her way to Thea and John who supported her, the reporters screamed questions at her, Richard nodded and smiled at him, his wife left the courtroom in tears. But Adrian...

Adrian just sat in his chair, his hands clasped on the table as he waited. A small smile on his lips.

He knew that playing the daughter card was not going to change much. He was pretty sure that Queen never hurt them, and Ellie was probably going to confirm that, but it was easy to twist a child's words. He could work on that.

All he wanted was to make Oliver Queen suffer, and watching his daughter on the stand as Adrian questioned her was going to hurt Queen so much.

Adrian's smile widened in anticipation.

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there you have it. The reasons why Chase and Richard are doing all of his... or almost every reason ;)
> 
> I was disgusted when writing that bit of the chapter, so... I know what you're feeling.
> 
> I also made some researches. Children _are_ admitted in court when necessary (even so young)
> 
> See you tomorrow with the next chapter!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all of your comments, I'll try to reply to everyone, but I don't really have enough time today (work was a mess!)
> 
> Anyway, here's a new chapter and... I promise I'll try to post another one later!

"Oliver, stop pacing."

He gave her a shake of his head as he continued to walk, running his hands in his short hair.

"I can't."

"Oliver, we need to talk about what's going to happen with your daughter." Jean informed him.

He stopped and looked at her. "What?"

She motioned for him to sit next to her, and he reluctantly did. "Can he really question Ellie as a witness? Isn't she too young to be in court?" He asked, his leg bouncing under the table.

"Yes, he can. Children are admitted in court if they can answer simple questions, understand the difference between truth and falsity, and comprehend the importance of telling the truth." Jean explained to him.

"Ellie is very smart. She… she can do all of that." Oliver confirmed, unable to keep the pride out of his voice.

"I know. That's why I didn't object it."

Oliver frowned at her. "You could have done that?"

She nodded. "I could have tried."

"Then why you didn't?" He couldn't believe his ears.

"Because the judge would have accepted Chase's request anyway. And I think he actually made a mistake." Jean told him quietly.

His frown deepened. "What do you mean?"

"Think about it. Ellie adores you, she will say only good things about you. This will play in your favor."

Oliver stood to pace the room again. "Jean, I can't use my daughter like that. I'll go to jail if I have to, but I don't want to do this to her. It is my job as her father to protect her from anything that could hurt her, physically and emotionally. This testimony could hurt her."

"It won't, we are going to do our best to protect her." Jean assured him. "I'll have to meet with Judge McGarvey and Adrian Chase, discuss with them how we want to proceed. We'll close the doors, the press won’t set foot in the room, so the only people in there will be us, Felicity, Chase, the Seldons, the judge, and the jury. I can let your sister and John in the room too if you want."

Oliver closed his eyes. "That's okay for me." He looked at Jean again. "But you'll have to ask Felicity too. It's her decision as much as it is mine, if not more important."

"Okay."

"As for the rest of the trial... Is it as bad as it looks?" Oliver questioned her.

"Maybe even worse." She said. "What your friends said should have helped our case, but Chase's comments and suggestions... Even if McGarvey accepted my objections, I think his words could still influence the jury's verdict."

Oliver sighed. "I know. And I'm pretty sure at least three of them are corrupted."

"You noticed them too?” Jean asked him. “Those that constantly look bored?"

"It's hard not to notice them glancing at each other when something important is being said."

Jean sighed heavily and looked defeated.

_One moment._

That was all Oliver conceded to himself. Only one moment to feel defeated, to feel his freedom slip through his fingers, to let Chase and Seldon win, to feel the loss of his family.

But he couldn't let that happen. He couldn't give up. He wasn't going to.

Before, Oliver had thought he deserved to be in prison, if not for killing Cooper then for everything else he did in the past, especially during his five years away.

He still thought that, but now it wasn't just him.

Now he had a family to think about. He had a girlfriend and a daughter. Oliver couldn't leave them alone, he promised he'd be there for them, to make them feel safe and loved. They needed him as much as he needed them.

To make that happen, he had to be a free man.

When the moment passed, Oliver looked at Jean straight in the eyes.

"I need to talk to Felicity."

→

"Eat this." John repeated to her, as he held out an energy bar he got from the vending machine.

"I don't have time for that, John." In truth, Felicity was so nervous she was afraid to be sick again if she ate something.

John kneeled in front of her chair and grabbed her free hand, the other already held by Thea.

"Felicity, you can't go on an entire day without eating. You'll pass out in the middle of Ellie's testimony if you don't eat something. You've already been sick once today, you need this and you know it." John insisted.

She knew he wasn't talking just about her. And Felicity knew she needed to keep her energies at a decent level. For both of her children. They needed her, one physically, and the other emotionally.

Felicity grabbed the snack. "Why do I feel like a child who is being reprimanded?"

"Because you are being stubborn as one." Thea squeezed her hand, and Felicity noticed a small smile on the girl's face.

As she ate, Felicity wondered yet again if she should tell Thea about the pregnancy. Sooner or later she was going to tell her, of course, but Oliver needed to know first. It already felt wrong that John knew but he didn't.

And then there was Ellie too. Felicity wanted to tell her she was going to have a little brother or sister, but she wanted Oliver by her side as they gave her the news, _together_.

She was still thinking about it when she saw Jean approaching them. Felicity immediately stood, Thea and John doing the same.

"So?" Felicity asked her, her voice impatient.

"You can come to see Oliver while Ellie and your mother get here." Jean informed her.

As they walked she updated Felicity on a few things regarding Ellie's testimony. She nodded but she couldn't really focus on the other woman's words, not when she stood in front of the door that separated her from Oliver.

As soon as the door opened, Felicity couldn't help herself. She ran into his waiting arms, her head rested against his chest, his gentle hand found its way to the nape of her neck. His steady heartbeat a comforting sound under her ear.

"Hey." Oliver's soft voice was enough to make her tear up. "It's okay." He kissed the top of her head as his hand ran soothing circles on her back.

Felicity sniffled and pulled away slightly, wiping away her tears. She wanted to blame the hormones for her reaction, but she knew it was too early for that. She also knew that crying wasn't necessarily a sign of weakness. She gave Oliver a small, honest smile.

When she looked around she noticed Jean was nowhere to be found.

"She needed to talk to the judge and Chase." Oliver reminded her.

"Right. She told me what will happen. It doesn’t seem so bad." She said, wanting to believe her own words.

"I sure hope it won't be bad." Oliver whispered.

They needed to talk about a lot of things, but words escaped the both of them, as they stared into each other's eyes.

There was something in Oliver's expression, it was love but... something else too. She couldn't put a finger on what it was, but as he grasped her hands in his she felt it.

It was _the moment._

Felicity needed to tell him about the pregnancy. He deserved to know that he was going to be a father again, that this time he was going to be there from the very beginning, that he couldn't miss this for anything in the world.

She needed to give him something to fight for, other than her and Ellie.

"Oliver..."

Before she could say another word, he leaned down and tenderly kissed her. His lips caressed hers, their warm breaths mingled together as the grip he had on her hands tightened. Oliver pulled back and smiled down at her.

"I want to be there for you." He started to say and Felicity wondered if she said her earlier thoughts out loud until he continued. "As I told you before, we have to believe that everything will be okay. I am going to do everything in my power to get an acquittal and come home to you and Ellie."

"Yes, and… about that-" Felicity tried again, but stuttered.

"Felicity, I… I still have doubts on my innocence, that's who I am, always blaming myself.” He continued. “But I promise I will do better, for you and Ellie. With your help, I know I can do this. You can show me I deserve to be happy. You already did once, I know you can show me again." He smiled at her, his eyes a little teary as he took a deep breath.

"After the island, I thought I was going to be alone forever. I lost my humanity, and I became something I didn't recognize. For a long time I thought I wasn't capable of loving or being loved. But you've changed that. I fell in love with you, and it was the best thing I've ever experienced. Every single day I spend with you is. You and Ellie give me something to live for, something to look forward to. You have stood beside me when times were darkest. You two light my way."

As tears collected in her eyes, Felicity was speechless. She didn't really know what was going on, but it must have been important for him if he said it when his trial was at such a critical point.

"Oliver?" She whispered unsure.

"You are my always, I just want the chance to be yours. And I know you will always be the love of my life, so..." Oliver smiled at her. "Marry me, Felicity."

Her eyes widened, her hands started to shake. Was he really proposing to her?

"What?" Felicity breathed out.

"When I'll get out of here, not if, but _when_... I want to spend the rest of my life next to you and our daughter." Oliver's smile widened on his lips. "You two make my life better, and I can't imagine it without either of you." His hands tightened their grip. "A couple of months ago, we were talking about having more kids one day..."

Her heart skipped a beat.

"I would love to see this family grow. And to do that, I need to be a free man. After Ellie's testimony, it'll be my turn, then they'll decide whether I'm guilty or not. _I_ _swear_ to you that I will do my best to convince them that I killed Cooper in self-defense, and that I've never laid a hand on you or our daughter."

His hand gently cradled her face, making her close her eyes and sigh. When Felicity opened them again Oliver was staring at her with so much love that made her knees go weak. As if knowing what was happening to her, Oliver wrapped his other arm around her waist and held her close, his face just a few inches away from hers.

"You don't have to give me an answer now. I can wait if you need to think it through." He gave her a quick peck on the lips. "I just needed to tell you that."

Felicity was frozen. There were a lot of things she wanted to tell him, so many that she didn't know where to start.

She ached to tell him that _yes_ , she wanted to marry him. That she was pregnant, and their family was already growing inside of her. That he made her so happy, and she couldn't live without him.

But of all of those things, the only one she was able to say was a whispered, "Oliver."

Felicity watched as his face crumbled a little, his smile faltered and sadness invaded his eyes. He said he could wait, but obviously he had hoped for an answer.

But she couldn't do it. If she said yes now, then he'd be fighting for her and Ellie, which were good reasons, and what she wanted. But his earlier words made her think.

He wasn't fighting for himself, because he doubted his innocence. And that was wrong, he needed to understand that he deserved his freedom because he was an innocent man, _a good man_. He couldn’t face the jury thinking otherwise.

Before he could think of the worst, Felicity stood on her toes and kissed him. Not a simple peck on the lips, a real kiss. An urgent kiss, with her tongue desperately searching his, her hands fisting his jacket as he continued to hold her. Felicity felt tears running down her cheeks, but she didn't care because Oliver was kissing her back with the same urgency.

When the need for oxygen became too much, and they pulled away, their foreheads rested against each other.

"I'll give you your answer when you'll be out of here, a free man because you are _innocent_. When we'll be home, with our daughter there with us. When you won't ask it out of desperation, but for love." Felicity smiled up at him, and she was happy to notice he smiled back. She needed to give him something more though. "And, no matter what, I will always, always... always love you and wait for you. _Always_."

Oliver pulled her against his chest and held her tightly. "I love you so much." He kissed the side of her head. "Thank you."

And just like that, Felicity knew he was going to fight for himself too.

Before she could enjoy being in his arms, the door opened and they pulled away. Jean stood there.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but... Ellie is here."

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo... your thoughts on what happened in this chapter?


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, here's the second chapter of the day! Be sure you read chapter 12 before this one! 
> 
> Enjoy!

The moment she stepped outside, Felicity heard Ellie's whines.

"I want mommy and daddy."

"I know, sweetheart." Donna said as she ran a comforting hand through the child's hair. "You'll see them soon, I promise."

Felicity quickened her pace. She saw Ellie this morning, but it felt like an eternity. She spent too many hours away from her daughter today and, as much as she missed her, Felicity couldn't let that distract her earlier, so she had bottled it up for later. Now she was just a few feet away from her, and Felicity couldn't get to Ellie fast enough.

"I'm here, baby."

Ellie heard her voice and turned to look at her, her eyes widened. "Mommy!" She dodged Donna's hands and ran to her. When she was within reach, Ellie made grabby hands, and Felicity picked her up.

"I missed you, mommy." Ellie's small whisper brought pain in her chest, and Felicity couldn't help but tighten her hold.

"Me too, baby." A tremble ran through her voice.

She needed to explain to Ellie why she was there, and what was going to happen, but for a moment she just wanted to hold her.

Felicity wished she could run and hide her daughter. She was terrified of what this testimony could do to Ellie emotionally, but as Jean said, there was no way to stop it now. She had to testify.

Ellie pulled away slightly, her small hands still gripped her shoulders. "Grandma Donna said I can see daddy today." Hope shone in her eyes.

"Yes, baby. You can see him soon." A small smile appeared on Felicity's lips at the thought.

Jean told her it was better if they waited for their reunion when they were inside the courtroom. The jurors needed to see that Ellie wasn't afraid of her father, that she had missed him for an entire week, and that they loved each other very much.

"Felicity, why are we here?" Donna asked her. "Two agents came home to get us, said we both needed to be here. Roy came along too, he didn't want to leave us with some strangers."

Felicity noticed him a few feet away from them, as he hugged Thea, whispering something to her. She needed to remember to thank him.

"Right, uh... Ellie, sweetheart... Do you remember Jean? The blonde woman that spent a lot of time at home this week?"

"Yes. She's always talking about boring stuff." Ellie said with a frown. "And she never smiles." She whispered conspiratorially, making Felicity chuckle.

"Yes, her. She needs to ask you a few things. They might seem silly questions to you, but they are important for daddy. So he can come home to us." Felicity explained her.

"I can make daddy come home?" Ellie's eyes widened in surprise.

"You can help, yeah."

"What do I have to say?" She asked excitedly.

Jean warned her about this. Felicity couldn't say much to Ellie before going in, because if the jurors thought she put those words in Ellie's mind, then they won't believe her.

"The truth." Felicity settled with that. "If you tell the truth, you can help daddy."

Ellie didn't think about it, she nodded. "Okay. I promise I won't tell bad lies."

"That's my girl." Felicity smiled at her.

Ellie went to hug her again. She wasn't sure if she was doing it for herself, or if somehow she knew her mother needed it, but Felicity appreciated it and held her more tightly.

"I... I'll be right back." She heard Donna say, and Felicity watched with a frown as her mother went to talk to Grace Seldon.

She hoped Donna wasn't going to tell her about that night she faced Richard. Who knew what Chase would do if he played the card of her mother accusing a Lieutenant of corruption.

John clearing his throat interrupted her thoughts. "How is he doing?" He asked, concern clear on his face.

"He's holding on." Felicity replied, looking down at her daughter's peaceful face, her hand running over her soft curls.

"And you?"

"I'm... as fine as I can be."

"I understand that... And for the rest?"

_Did you tell him?_

Felicity looked up at him and slightly shook her head. "I- He..." She let out a frustrated sigh. "There's a lot going on."

"The judge will be back in the courtroom soon." An officer informed them, and John nodded in thanks.

Felicity took in a deep breath. "Jean said I have to wait outside with Ellie as jurors and judge take place. When they call us, we come in."

John squeezed her shoulder. "You can do this. You're both strong."

"Thank you, John."

Felicity watched as he left, and with Thea, he entered the courtroom. Roy approached them and sat in the chair against the wall near her. Her mother was nowhere in sight.

"Roy, I... Thank you. For not leaving Ellie and my mother alone."

He shrugged. "It was the right thing to do."

"Still. Thank you."

He nodded, and Felicity looked down at Ellie. "Are you ready, baby?"

"Yes. I want to help daddy."

→

Oliver had never been this nervous in his entire life. Not even when he was on Lian Yu he was this tense, or when he had to start living with people again, five years later. Maybe the only other times it happened was when Isabel poisoned Ellie and Cooper attacked Felicity for the last time.

As Jean promised, the only people in the room were her, himself, Chase, Richard Seldon -his wife missing for some reason,- Judge McGarvey, the jurors, a few officers, Thea, and John.

Now they were waiting for Felicity and Ellie to enter the room.

Jean had explained to the jurors that, because Ellie was just a child, things were going to be handled differently than with other witnesses. And because she was way too young to know anything about Cooper's death, they weren't going to mention it.

When an officer went to call them, Oliver's heart started to beat faster. He was going to see his daughter again after almost a week, and he wasn't sure he could hold it together.

The door opened, and Oliver turned in his chair. There she was, his little angel, holding Felicity's hand as they walked into the room. Without thinking he stood, Ellie noticed him and, with a whispered "Daddy," she quickly walked to him, letting go of her mother's hand. She went past Jean and jumped in his waiting arms.

Oliver wasn't sure if he could interact with her, but he didn't care. If Ellie wanted to hug him, then he wasn't going to deny her that. Besides, he needed to hold her as much as she needed him to.

The moment she settled in his arms, Ellie started to cry.

"It's okay, baby girl." His voice rough with emotion.

"I missed you, daddy." Ellie sobbed against him, her hot tears running down his neck as her body trembled. It made him tear up.

"I missed you too, sweetheart. Every day." He whispered.

He tried to keep his emotions in check, but seeing his daughter again, being able to finally hold her, and the impending verdict were enough reasons to not be ashamed if he shed a few tears too.

They stayed like that a few more moments, and Oliver expected the judge to reprimand him, but he didn't.

When he felt Ellie quiet down some, he pulled away and looked at her. With a small smile, he wiped away her tears as she stared at his face in sadness.

"You have owies."

Oliver caressed her face. "I am clumsy sometimes."

"And where is your hair?" She wondered with a frown.

"I... cut it."

Ellie pouted. "I like it longer."

Oliver chuckled, and he heard a few other people doing the same. "I'll make sure to fix it then."

"Good." She said, hugging him again.

Oliver kissed the top of her head and knew they needed to get started with the testimony, he just didn't want to let go of her so soon. But he had to.

With a heavy heart, he looked at the judge.

"Your Honor, I know I don't have any right to ask this, but can my daughter sit in my chair, and I'll go to the stand?"

He didn't want her to feel like she was under the microscope, having to answer questions was already stressing enough, but to do that sitting away from her mother and the people she knew, making her feel all alone... Oliver was going to do everything to make her feel as comfortable as possible.

"Of course, Mr. Queen. That won't be a problem." Judge McGarvey responded in kind, understanding his need.

"Thank you, your Honor."

Oliver put Ellie on his chair and kneeled next to her. "Sweetheart, now Jean is going to ask you some things, okay?" She nodded. "You don't have to be afraid to answer. I'll be sitting there, and mommy is right behind you."

Ellie turned to look at her and Felicity gave her a reassuring smile through her own tears.

"Okay." She replied. Oliver leaned closer and kissed her cheek. "I love you, daddy."

He smiled at her. "I love you too, baby girl."

With a lot of effort, Oliver stood and walked to the stand. He glanced at the jurors and noticed a few people were affected by his interactions with his daughter. As much as he had hoped to reunite with her in private, Jean made the right call to show this to them. It made him look human, and not someone who would just kill a guy in cold blood and abuse his family.

With a deep breath, he sat at the stand and looked at Ellie, who sat facing Jean in the chair next to her. Oliver had no doubt it was so she could see him at her left and Felicity at her right.

Jean glanced at the judge, and at his nod, she started with her questions.

→

"Ellie... Have I ever told you that's a beautiful name?" She shook her head no. "Well, it is. And what is your full name?"

"Elizabeth Smoak Queen." She responded timidly.

Jean smiled at her. "That's even more beautiful."

"I know because I'm Smoak like mommy and Queen like daddy. And they are both beautiful." Ellie wore a proud smile on her face.

It was so contagious that Felicity couldn't help herself and smiled too, a couple of people in the jury doing the same.

"That's right." Jean continued. "And do you like that? Being both a Smoak and a Queen?"

"Yes." No hesitation.

"Listen, Ellie... I have a few questions about your dad." Ellie immediately looked at Oliver, love shining in her eyes. "Do you like to spend time with your dad?"

"Yes, a lot." She responded with a firm nod.

"And why is that?"

"Because he plays with me, we build pillow castles together, and he tells me funny bedtime stories. Daddy makes me laugh and I love him so much." Ellie stretched her arms wide open to show them how much.

Despite the situation, it made Felicity silently laugh. Ellie was talking with such an innocence that her heart swelled with love for her daughter. She also heard a few jurors chuckle in amusement.

"That's a lot." Jean said, and Ellie nodded seriously. "So you like that he is your dad?"

"Yes, he is the best daddy in the whole world. Ask mommy." Ellie looked back at her, Felicity gave her a nod and an encouraging smile.

"Yeah, she already told us that." Jean responded with a smile of her own.

"Do you know that my daddy is a hero?" Ellie asked excitedly, before glancing between her and Oliver. "He saved me when I was little, many times, and he saved mommy too."

That was it. The moment they had been waiting for. It felt wrong that Ellie had to be the one saying it. It felt like they were using her, but they didn't really have a choice on the matter, not when Chase forced them to make Ellie testify.

"Really?" Jean asked, looking for her opening to show Oliver as a good man. "What did he do to be a hero?"

"Mommy says that a bad man wanted to take me away from her, and daddy stopped him.”

“He did?” Jean asked.

“Yes, then an evil woman tried to hurt me but daddy saved me. And another time, the bad man came back and wanted to hurt us, instead he hurt daddy when he saved us."

Ellie recounted the story with her eyes glued to her father's, as her expressions were a mix of sadness, awe, and love. Felicity couldn't stop the few tears that spilled from her eyes as she heard Ellie's innocent version of what happened. Sure, they sugarcoated it for her sake, but the jury heard it anyway, and it was the same version they had been repeating over and over again.

"He's a real hero." Jean concluded.

"Yes, daddy is my hero." Ellie smiled proudly at her father, and Felicity noticed Oliver's eyes were teary too.

Jean looked at the judge. "I don't have anything else to ask."

Felicity let out the breath she was holding, but as she looked at Chase she tensed again. He was leaning against the back of his chair, frowning, his eyes cold. He glanced at his client before standing.

"Your Honor, I would like to ask a few questions too."

"Go ahead, Mr. Chase." The judge conceded. "But make it quick, and remember the rules." He said sternly. At least he was trying to protect Ellie's innocence as he said he would.

Chase grabbed his chair and made his way to the other table. Felicity's heart started to beat rapidly the more the guy got near her daughter, Oliver looked ready to bolt too. Chase put the chair right in front of Ellie on the other side of the table, obstructing her view on Oliver. He took his time to sit and put his arms on the table, clasping his hands together. After a few moments, he raised his eyes to Ellie and smiled.

A shiver ran down Felicity's spine. The cold, calculating look Chase was giving Ellie let her know that he had no intention of going easy on her, even if she was just a child.

Ellie pressed herself against the chair, moving away from him. Felicity wanted to grab her daughter and get her as far away from him as she could. Knowing she couldn't do that, she grasped Thea's hand, looking for support, and judging by the girl's tight grip, Felicity knew she was uncomfortable too.

Chase held out his hand. "Hi, Ellie. My name is Adrian."

Ellie stared at his hand but didn't move. Seeing this wasn't going to work, he dropped his hand.

"Ellie... you said you like to spend time with your dad." He went straight to business and waited for her answer.

Ellie first glanced at Oliver over Chase's shoulder, then looked back at Felicity with an unsure expression. An unknown man was talking to her, and Felicity always told her daughter to never speak to strangers. Gathering all of her strength, Felicity tried to look confident and nodded, silently telling her it was okay to answer.

Ellie turned to Chase again. "I like to stay with daddy." She confirmed.

"Okay. What I want to know is... did he ever do something that made you feel uncomfortable?"

Ellie frowned. "What does that word mean?"

"Have you ever seen him shirtless?" He quickly fired.

"Yes." Ellie's frown deepened, not understanding the change of topic.

_What kind of question was that?_

"Objection, your Honor." Jean said raising her voice. "That's irrelevant."

"Sustained. Mr. Chase-"

"I withdraw the question, your Honor." He looked back at Ellie. "Did he ever do something that scared you?"

"Daddy is good, he doesn't scare people." She said confidently. "And he loves me."

"He loves you..." Chase hummed in thought. He tried to hide a smirk, but Felicity saw it. "How do you know that?"

"Because he tells me every day. And he gives me many kisses."

Felicity watched as Chase glanced at Mr. Seldon, who subtly nodded at him.

Chase’s eyes found Felicity’s.

She found something in his expression that was unsettling, his smile making her skin crawl. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw identical upset faces on both Thea and John.

Chase looked at Ellie again. "And did he ever do something to you after the kisses?"

Felicity stopped breathing.

_This isn’t happening. He can’t be accusing Oliver of-_

"Objection!" Jean stood from her chair and intervened before Ellie could ask what he meant to say. "Your Honor, this is unacceptable-"

"Objection sustained, _again_." The judge said, sending a cold look at the DA. "Mr. Chase, if you're going to continue with this line of questioning I'm afraid I'll have to send you out of this courtroom."

"With all respect, your Honor, I think there might be more to this." Chase tried to defend himself, but the judge wasn't having any of it.

"Mr. Chase, you're forgetting that she's only a child. This trial is about what happened to Cooper Seldon, and Mr. Queen's suspected other tendencies, not about what you're suggesting. The jury will decide what to do with what she already answered." He stated.

Ellie turned in her chair. "Mommy?" She asked with tears in her eyes, her lower lip trembling. People around her were yelling after she answered some questions, she probably thought it was her fault, that she said something wrong.

Felicity looked pleadingly at Jean, and she immediately addressed the judge. "Your Honor, I ask to release the witness."

"Granted." He was quick to say.

Felicity shot up from her chair and went to Ellie, ignoring Chase's complaints to the judge. As soon as she picked her up, Ellie started to cry. Felicity's hand flew to the back of her daughter's head, while the other held her tightly against her chest.

Her eyes caught Oliver's on the other side of the room. He was standing, his feet planted like he was ready to rush to them, his hands clenched at his sides in tight fists.

She couldn’t even imagine how he felt at that moment, with Chase accusing him of such a disgusting thing. His eyes were pained as if it physically hurt him to stay another minute away from them. She knew he wanted to yell, and punch something -or rather someone, like Chase or Seldon- but he was doing his best to restrain himself, probably more for her and Ellie's sake than for his own.

Ellie whimpered in her arms and Felicity focused back on her.

"Shh, it's okay, Ellie. It's okay." She whispered in her ear, her daughter's face pressed against her neck, her tears leaving a wet trail down her skin. "You did good, and you were really brave."

"I want daddy home!" Ellie sobbed, and Felicity was sure everyone heard, including Oliver, who looked down at the floor in helplessness.

"I know, sweetheart. I want him home too." Felicity said as she closed her eyes. The feel of Ellie shaking in her arms brought a pain in her chest, the kind she hoped she'd never feel.

After a few moments, a hand was placed on her back, and Felicity opened her eyes again. The room was empty, except for a few guards and Thea. The girl gave her an encouraging smile.

"Jean says we can get out for a while. They have to get ready for Oliver's turn."

Felicity numbly nodded and followed her out of the room. Ellie's warm breaths against her neck the only thing keeping her grounded, as another shot at Oliver's freedom was yet again taken away from them.

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't want to leave you hanging like this until tomorrow, so I'll post one more chapter later!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the third chapter of the day! Be sure you read chapters 12 and 13 before this one!
> 
> Enjoy!

He paced the room for the umpteenth time, his hands scratched the back of his head, his nails digging into his scalp as he forced himself to take deep, steadying breaths.

How dare Chase suggest something like that? That he might- no, he didn't even want to think about it.

It was _disgusting_.

"He planned for this, didn't he?" Oliver seethed. "First, the question about seeing me shirtless, then the look he gave to Seldon before asking more questions. This is what he wanted all along." He breathed slowly, trying to maintain his temper under control. "He knew Ellie wasn't going to say anything against me, so he tricked her. He used her love for me and my love for her against us." Oliver shook his head in disbelief. "Who would do that?"

"A heartless person." Jean quietly replied.

That was one -nice- way to describe Chase.

"Can I see Felicity and Ellie?" He asked with hope.

"I'm afraid we don't have enough time for that. Judge and jurors will be back in a few minutes in the courtroom. And I'm guessing Felicity is taking care of Ellie at the moment." Jean told him softly.

With a reluctant nod, he sighed and sat on a chair, taking his head into his hands.

He couldn't even imagine how Felicity and Ellie must have felt in that courtroom.

Ellie was scared, he saw it in her eyes when she reached for her mother before breaking into an ugly cry. And Felicity... Her face was a combination of shock, terror, and disbelief, emotions he hoped to never see on her face.

Oliver felt like he failed them. And it was tearing him inside.

An officer informed them the judge was ready, and Oliver had to push down his thoughts. He followed the agent and Jean to the courtroom, and when he entered his heart sunk.

Only Thea was sitting behind his chair.

Logically, he knew that Felicity needed to stay with Ellie at the moment, she needed her mother more than ever, but he kinda hoped to see Felicity with his own eyes, just to be sure she was okay, wanted to ask her about Ellie too. John also wasn’t there, which meant he was probably keeping an eye on them, at least that reassured him a little.

As Oliver went to the stand one more time, he took in the people in the room. More reporters joined them this time, making the room feel smaller than how it actually was, the jurors started to look tired after hours and hours of sitting there, Richard Seldon was frowning at his wife, who sat stiffly next to him, a hard expression on her face.

Then there was Adrian Chase.

He wore a smug smile on his face, a calm air surrounding his frame, and Oliver had to resort to his self-control to not attack him then and there.

Oliver sat facing the room as Jean started to tell once again the story, the real one, but Oliver couldn't focus on her. His eyes stared at the empty chair next to Thea, and he couldn't help but think back to their earlier conversation.

Oliver promised Felicity he was going to fight, for her and for Ellie, which was what he was already doing, but he felt like something about it bothered Felicity. He knew she wanted him to fight for himself first because he was a good man, like she told him many times and, logically, he knew she was right, that what he did was to protect them, and he'd do that again. But it was still hard to believe he was a good man after everything he did in his life.

And then there was the proposal. Oliver wasn't sure if he did the right thing asking her. Sure, he wanted to marry her, he'd be lying if he said the thought never crossed his mind -the small velvet box hidden away in his closet was proof of that- he just wasn't sure if it was right asking her today with everything going on. Still, he felt like he couldn't wait any longer.

He didn't want to force her to accept in case he ended in prison for the rest of his life, binding her to him when he wasn't going to be present. And he could really wait for an answer until he was declared innocent, but he was sure she was going to answer him anyway. She didn't say no, but that wasn't a yes either, and it wasn't like Felicity to keep him hanging like that. Oliver was positive that she wanted to be with him, so her non-answer confused him.

It almost felt like she was keeping something from him. He just hoped it wasn't anything bad.

→

"You should get there." John told her. "Oliver needs you."

Felicity sighed. "I know. And I want to be there for him, but I'm not sure if I can leave Ellie right now."

She looked down at her daughter. She was still in her arms after she cried herself to sleep. Felicity kept telling her she didn't do anything wrong, but Ellie just cried harder, stating that she needed to know from her daddy if he was mad at her. No matter how many times Felicity reassured her, Ellie didn't believe her. And that pained Felicity.

"She's sleeping, sweetheart." Her mother said. "We can take care of her in the meantime." Donna indicated herself, John, and Roy. They were in a private room, luckily, so they'd be away from prying eyes. No one was going to bother them.

"Are you sure?" Felicity checked, then looked down at Ellie. "I don't want her to think I'm neglecting her."

"You're not, sweetheart." Her mother ran a comforting hand on her back.

"We'll make sure to let her know that if she wakes up." Roy added.

Felicity closed her eyes and sighed. "Thank you. To all of you."

"Don't even mention it." John said as he held out his hands, and Felicity carefully passed him Ellie, making sure she didn't wake up.

She looked so small and fragile in her friend's big arms, but Felicity knew she was in the safest arms she's ever been. Well...the safest after Oliver's.

Felicity was about to get out when a knock came from the door. Two police officers entered, and they looked at every person in the room.

"Miss Smoak," said the first agent, "we can accompany your mother and your daughter back at home if you'd like."

Felicity frowned at them.

"Oh, Felicity, honey, these are the agents that brought us here earlier." Donna said, resting a hand on her arm.

"Oh." It was her only response. Something was off, especially in the way the second agent looked at her. Unconsciously, she put herself in front of John and Ellie. "It's okay, agents. They can stay here."

"It's not a problem, Miss Smoak. We can take them home." The second agent spoke, and Felicity stiffened.

That voice.

_Stop it, bitch! I just need to get my work done._

Her bruised eye felt like it was burning as he stared at her. He was the masked man that attacked her.

Trying to be as natural as she could, she gave the officers a small smile.

"It's okay, really. I'll feel better if they stay with me." She couldn't help the slight tremor in her voice.

Felicity knew her friends were looking at her in confusion, but she had to keep a straight face until the man -Officer Parks- left the room.

The agents looked at each other and with a nod they left.

Felicity let out the breath she was holding and quickly turned around to take Ellie from John.

"Felicity?"

She started to check her daughter for injuries. "Did they hurt you? When they brought you here, did they do something to the three of you?" She asked in a panicked voice. Ellie in her arms opened her eyes with a frown.

"No, honey." Her mother responded. "What are you doing? And why would they hurt us? They are police officers."

"Mommy?" Ellie's small voice stopped her frantic movements.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" Felicity's hand cradled her daughter's face, deep blue eyes staring back at her.

"Yes, but I'm tired, mommy." Ellie yawned.

"I'm so sorry I woke you, baby." Felicity kissed the top of her head and held her close until Ellie's head rested against her chest again.

"Felicity, can you please explain to us what is going on?" John's calm voice reached her ears, and she looked at him.

She put a hand over Ellie's ear. "It was him." She whispered. "Officer Parks. He's the one who attacked me before Oliver got arrested last week."

Donna covered her mouth with a hand, a shocked gasp still audible. John and Roy looked at each other before John's eyes found hers again.

"Are you sure it was him?"

"I will never forget that voice." Felicity said firmly.

He sighed and ran a hand over his face. "So the police is corrupted. At least some officers are."

"Yeah."

"Felicity," Roy took a step closer to her, "they didn't hurt us, and he didn't get near Ellie. Never even spoke to us, now that I think about it."

Felicity breathed in relief. "Good."

Well, not everything was good, if agents were corrupted that meant that one of them could have taken the switchblade from the evidence room.

An idea formed in her mind.

"I need a computer."

→

Oliver clenched his hands.

He had been sitting in that chair for probably two hours, and Chase was still asking the same questions over and over again.

"I did it to protect my family. Cooper broke into my apartment and _beat_ my girlfriend."

"So you threw him off of her and hit him. Repeatedly."

Oliver glared at Chase. "What was I supposed to do? Sit there and watch? Give him a pat on his back? Of course I hit him!"

"And broke his nose and ribs." Chase continued.

"I might..." Oliver hesitated. "I might have exaggerated on that, but I stopped and got away from him before causing serious damage. I needed to check on Felicity and Ellie, and I didn’t want them to see me like that, I didn’t want to _be_ like that." He sighed. "I turned my back on him for a few seconds, and then he was standing there, a gun aimed at my chest."

"You disarmed him and shot him."

" _No_." Once again Chase was trying to skip important details. "He shot me, hitting my liver. I fought through the pain, disarmed him and pointed the gun at him, but I didn't shoot. He said he wasn't going to stop, before reaching for something in his pocket. At that moment, I didn't know what it was," Oliver admitted, "but I couldn't risk for it to be another gun and let him hurt my family. Only _then_... I shot him."

Chase hummed. "And the thing he reached for was...?"

"A switchblade." Oliver said through gritted teeth.

"Right." He smiled. "A switchblade that is _not_ in the evidence of the case."

"I don't know how it disappeared." Oliver said with pointed looks at him and Mr. Seldon. "But this is what happened, and Captain Lance collected the evidence himself."

"But it wasn't in the report. And, I know you gave your statement after regaining consciousness, so you were still under the influence of the drugs." Chase shook his head. "But that just seems convenient to me."

" _Convenient_? Fine, then why you never mentioned the fact that Cooper actually _escaped_ prison before attacking Felicity?" Oliver asked. "Or should we talk about the other inmate who escaped with him, and dressed up as a police officer just so Felicity would open the door?"

"That was the desperate move of a desperate man. Cooper just wanted to protect the woman he loved." Chase smiled at him, that irritating smile of his. "I think this story you invented is just a way to cover up your abusive tendencies."

"For the last time." Oliver's voice low and threatening, as he resorted to the Bratva captain inside him. "I've _never_ hurt my family, in any way. If I did that, do you think I would have called an ambulance that first night when everything started?" He seethed. “Why Felicity never showed signs of abuses when she was with me in the three years after Cooper’s death? She’s constantly in the public eye, having one of the most important roles in the most important company of the city. Reporters would have noticed bruises and such.”

Chase seemed at a loss of words.

“She’s always been a strong woman, but she became stronger than she was years ago, when that man did nothing but belittling everything she did and said. If someone ever hurt her again, she would have talked to someone about it, reported it to the authorities and certainly kept Ellie away from that person.” If looks could kill, Chase would be a dead man. "And if you ever try to suggest again that I might... _hurt_... my daughter like that-"

Chase shook his head. "We all assisted to her testimony and-"

" _Stop!_ "

Silence fell over the room. As one, every person in there looked in shock at the woman who spoke.

Grace Seldon was standing from her chair, breathing hard with tears in her eyes.

"Grace, _shut up_." Her husband harshly whispered to her, but they all heard.

"No. I'm done shutting up." She said with resolution.

"Mrs. Seldon, please." Chase tried to make her sit on her chair. He looked unusually agitated.

"No." The woman fired back.

"Uh, your Honor, I apologize for her outburst." Chase said to the judge. "Obviously, she's still suffering from her son's death."

Oliver studied McGarvey's face. He looked interested and conflicted at the same time as if he didn't know if he could allow something like this in his courtroom, someone who was not a witness talking without his consent.

"Mr. Chase, please let Mrs. Seldon say what she needs to say. It might be important."

Chase looked as if he wanted to run away from the room. Oliver started to feel hope again.

"They keep saying these things about Mr. Queen, all lies for sure if my husband is behind them." Grace glared at the man. "But everyone needs to know that my son-"

"Grace, if you don't shut up I swear..." Richard started.

"What?" Grace challenged him. "You will hit me? Like our son did to that woman?"

A few people in the jury and reporters started to whisper.

"Where do you think he learned that from?" She looked at the jurors. "Other than this, you all need to know that my son was sick. He was diagnosed with mental disorders when he was young, with violent tendencies and... obsessive behavior. My husband always tried to keep it a secret because he didn't want our family to be judged for it." She glanced at Oliver. "It doesn't excuse what he did to you and Felicity and Ellie... But you should know there was a reason behind all of that."

Oliver didn't expect this turn of events. He always suspected the woman wasn't on board with Chase and Richard's plans, but to stand up like this... He was glad to see she had finally found the courage. It reminded him of Felicity.

Oliver nodded in thanks for her honesty.

"And we all saw how that little girl acted around Mr. Queen." She continued, looking the jury with a small smile. "That is not a girl afraid of her _father_."

The fact that she referred to him as Ellie’s father, when she knew her own son was the biological one, showed him -and the jury- what she really thought of the entire situation.

Grace made to leave but stopped, took off her wedding ring and placed it on the table in front of Richard, then spoke in hushed tones.

"Don't think I didn't know about your whores all this time. I'm done sticking around a selfish liar like you." Then she left the room.

People murmured in the room as Richard sat in his chair, hands clenched in tight fists. Chase looked lost, unsure of what to do until he just sat next to his client. Jean gave Oliver a nod, and Thea behind her wasn't even trying to hide her smirk.

Oliver chuckled to himself and smiled back at his sister.

They could do this.

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a little hope for you!
> 
> Tomorrow I'll post two chapters because I just realized that I ended the first with a cliffhanger, and I can't leave you like that on Christmas day!
> 
> See you tomorrow!


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! I see you liked the last few chapters, I'm so happy about it!
> 
> Anyway, here's a new one!

They all sat around the long table in the room. Twelve people, six men and six women.

She had a few occasions of studying the other jurors during the previous hours when they had to take brief pauses between witnesses, so she knew how each of them looked at the case.

To have an idea if they might have changed their minds, she looked at every single one of them again.

To her left, at the head of the table, sat Ray Palmer, CEO of Palmer Technologies. He had had some business with Queen in the past, something about trying to buy his company but gave up when Queen Consolidated started to do better. Ray had no hard feelings toward the man, and he thought Queen was innocent.

Next to him Laura Hoffman, a housewife, agreed with him and stressed how neither Felicity or Ellie looked afraid of the defendant. She was pretty confident Oliver never abused them. Just like Curtis Holt, a tech guy, that with Ray explained to them that it was actually easy for Cooper to get rid of video footage of himself doing something dirty, like showing up at Felicity's apartment to attack her.

Carrie Cutter and Helena Bertinelli stayed mostly to themselves, but one thing stood out every time they spoke. They both believed Oliver and Felicity needed to live their lives together.

Carrie was a wedding planner, who was crazy for couples in love, said she could recognize soulmates with just one look. She saw that in Oliver and Felicity, so she didn't think they could hurt each other.

Bertinelli, a restaurant manager, repeatedly stated that living without your partner was worse than living in hell. And if Cooper hurt the woman he supposedly loved he didn't deserve her, and Oliver did the right thing to stop him.

The two women in front of them rarely spoke. Nyssa was head of a private security agency, while Alena worked in IT in a small company. They both looked like they were going for a 'not guilty' verdict, but it was hard to tell.

On her other side, there was Rene Ramirez, a mechanic who spoke a lot. He constantly shared his thoughts on the case, and firmly believed Queen was to be considered innocent, on both the murder -because he did the right thing and it was probably self-defense- and the abuse -because his family didn't look afraid.

Then there were the last three men, on the other end of the table. Her gut told her they were hiding something and that thought unsettled her.

They wanted to reach a guilty verdict, that was pretty clear to see.

Councilman Kullens, sat at the head of the table as if he owned the place, ranting on and on how the evidence they had was enough to decide, so they didn't need to hear all those witnesses. The same things alderman Sebastian Blood sustained. And so did Danny Brickwell. She wasn't sure what his profession was, but she had a feeling it wasn't legal.

And then there she was. Dinah Drake, Police Officer.

Dinah wasn't sure what to think. As an agent, she told herself to look at the evidence, that those would eventually bring them to the truth. But the woman in her said the heartfelt testimony of Felicity, Ellie, and Oliver were the keys to solve the case.

Their story was always the same, every single time they said it. Either they rehearsed it for the last three years, or it was the truth.

She also couldn't deny the fact that, as others said, Ellie and Felicity didn't look scared of Oliver. And like he said, there weren't photos of her that showed signs of abuse after Cooper's death, or even medical records. She could also recognize the look of a woman who was being abused, her job showed her the bad things a man could do, but Felicity was far from it. In the end, Dinah believed her testimony.

And she knew Captain Lance would never tamper with evidence. She respected him as her superior, looked up at him even, so it hurt to hear when Adrian Chase accused him of corruption. But he'd never lie for someone who was guilty, that was not who he was. He'd never do that, but not every officer at the precinct was as honest as him. Someone could very well have taken the switchblade from the evidence room.

And now they also found out that Cooper was really sick. His own mother said the words, so they must be true if she wanted to go against her own case.

The councilman and Rene yelling at each other brought her back to the present.

"So you want to tell me that just because that kid has seen her father shirtless he's sexually abusing her?" Rene snapped at Kullens. "My daughter has seen me shirtless, countless times. Do you want to accuse me of being a pedophile too?"

"Our friend is just saying that the DA made a valid point." Blood intervened.

"Really?" Ray asked. "Twisting a child's words in his favor is a valid point?"

"He's right." Carrie said. "That little girl was just trying to make us understand how much her father loves her."

"Yeah, he loves her _too much_." Brickwell sneered.

"Okay, okay." Kullens stopped everyone. "Before we go any further, I think we should nominate someone who will lead the rest of the jurors, or this will be a mess. As a councilman and older member of this jury, I think it should be me."

Rene scoffed. "Really, Hoss? Just because you're the older one?"

"I don't think the others will let a... what are you? A garbage man, be the foreperson leading this trial."

"I'm a mechanic."

"Same thing." Brickwell said with a smile, looking at Blood who chuckled.

"And one of you should be this foreperson?" Curtis asked them.

"Hey." Rene's voice next to her caught her attention. "You're a cop, right? I saw the badge earlier."

Dinah frowned. "Uh, yeah. I'm a police officer."

"I think she should be our leader. She knows how these things work, she might have a better perspective on the case." Rene told everyone.

Dinah looked around the table, and they were all nodding. Except for three of them who were glaring at her, of course.

_This is going to be a long day._

→

"John texted me." Thea told him. "He says Felicity is with Ellie."

Oliver sighed. "But they are okay, right?"

"Yes, they are fine."

Oliver closed his eyes and held his head in his hands.

"Do you want to tell me what's bothering you?" Thea gently asked him. "I know it's not the trial."

Oliver looked at his sister. “I’m worried about Ellie.”

“I know, I’m worried too. But Felicity is with her and I’m sure she’s doing an amazing job in taking care of her.” Thea gently told him and Oliver nodded. Of course he knew that, but… “There’s something else, isn’t it?”

She knew him too well. With a sigh, Oliver found his sister’s eyes again. “I proposed to Felicity." He confessed.

Her eyes widened as a smile appeared on her face. "You did? Oh my god, Ollie, that's amazing!"

"Yeah." He said, avoiding her eyes.

He felt Thea's demeanor change. "She said yes, right? She'd never say no. That's impossible."

He shrugged. "She didn't answer. Felicity said that she wants to tell me when we'll be at home."

Oliver sighed, and Thea took his hands in hers. "Ollie, she's going to say yes. Right now she has a lot to think about."

"I know. She needs to stay with Ellie, it's right this way, but..."

"But you hoped they could both be here while you wait for the verdict." Thea concluded.

"Yeah." Oliver looked away from her. "I know it's selfish, I just... If things don't go the way we want to, I'll end up in prison and the last time I saw them-"

"Was during Ellie's testimony, and it wasn’t the best situation."

"I'm also afraid I scared her off." Oliver admitted, his voice breaking. "We've never talked about marriage, being together was enough, _it's enough_. But a few weeks ago I..." He hesitated and took a deep breath. "I was walking down the street when I saw this ring and... I bought it. I know it sounds a cliché, but it felt right. I want to spend the rest of my life next to her, with our family, Ellie and what other children will come one day. And I want to make it official, you know? I want to be able to call her my wife, just like I can call Ellie my daughter."

His sister had tears in her eyes. "I think that's wonderful. You should tell her all of this. And don't worry," she gripped his hands, "she won't say no. She loves you, and I'm sure she wants to call you her husband."

Without wasting a moment, Oliver opened his arms and went to hug Thea.

"Thank you, Speedy."

"Always, big brother." She replied, tightening her hold on him.

They were lost in their hug when the door opened, and Jean entered the room.

"They have a verdict."

Oliver looked between her and Thea. "If they already have it, it's bad, isn't it?"

"Oliver, we did everything possible. And after Mrs. Seldon's confession, I'm pretty confident the outcome will be positive." Jean reassured him.

"Let's hope." He said with a sigh.

Thea left before the two of them, and after a few more reassurances, Oliver and Jean went to the courtroom.

As he walked, Oliver couldn't help but think that he was walking to his death. Not literally, but figuratively. Going to prison, living without Ellie and Felicity by his side, not being able to see them whenever he wanted... He would die on the inside.

At best he was going to get out in 25 years. He'd be 56, Felicity 51 and Ellie 29. He barely survived a week away from them, he didn't even want to imagine what he would do if they gave him 25 or more years.

As he entered the room, he completely ignored Chase and Seldon, his eyes searched the first row of people sitting behind his chair. There was Thea with Roy, two chairs next to them sat Grace Seldon.

But no Felicity.

Oliver didn't even try to hide the way his shoulders slumped, his feet heavy, making him walk slowly to his chair. Thea gave him an encouraging smile, and he tried to smile back but he was sure it was more like a grimace.

He sat, as they waited for judge and jury to enter the room. He tried not to fidget or take his head in his hands like he wanted to do. Oliver was sure the press already shot a few interesting photos of his reaction to the empty chair, without a doubt they will be on the first page the next morning, so he wasn't going to give them more to work on.

He was so lost in his own head that he barely heard it.

"Oliver."

He turned around and there she was. Felicity looked calm, a small smile on her lips as she stared lovingly at him.

"Felicity." He barely whispered, almost in disbelief.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here." She told him with sad eyes.

Oliver shook his head. "It's okay, it doesn't matter. How is Ellie?" That was what mattered to him.

"She's fine. She’s with John and my mother. You'll see her soon, I promise." Felicity told him with a firm nod.

He was about to respond when the clerk announced the jury was back. Oliver watched as everyone took a seat, their faces relaxed. They didn't look like people who just condemned a man to prison life.

They all stood as judge McGarvey came into the room. He told them to sit, and Oliver glanced one more time to Felicity, who nodded at him again.

_It's going to be okay._

Her voice resounded in his head, calming him, and Oliver closed his eyes for a moment taking a deep breath. He let it out slowly before opening them again and looked in front of him.

"Will the defendant please rise?" Judge McGarvey said.

Oliver stood again, fixing his tie and buttoning his jacket. Jean rose from her chair too.

"Please publish the verdict."

The clerk stood next to the judge, a letter in her hands.

"In the matter of the 'People versus Oliver Jonas Queen' on both the accuses of murder and domestic abuse, we find the defendant..."

She glanced down at the paper before raising her head again.

Oliver's heart sunk before the words left her mouth.

"Guilty."

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it was mean to end it like that, but in my defense I didn't think I'd be posting this on Christmas day! So I'll post the next right away!


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the second chapter of the day! Be sure you read number 15 before this!
> 
> Enjoy!

"Guilty."

Felicity studied the jurors. Most of them looked at each other in shock, and she knew it wasn't the verdict they decided for Oliver. Further confirmation came from a woman, probably an officer if her badge was any indication, when she turned to the guy next to her and mouthed "What the hell?"

Three jurors, though, were smirking, Felicity closed her eyes for a brief moment and shook her head. _Those three_.

She felt Oliver turn around in front of her, and when she opened her eyes again his face was devastated, then changed to confusion when he noticed she wasn't upset.

_Time to get justice, my love._

Felicity pressed the button on her phone, hidden away in her jacket. In just a few seconds, even before the judge could say a word after the verdict, every device in the room started to ring. People looked around in confusion as they grabbed their phones. One guard showed his phone to the judge, as Jean showed hers to Oliver. The audio from the video feed echoed in the room as everyone played it.

"You know why you're here, Officer Parks. You have to do something for me." Richard Seldon told the agent as they met in a coffee shop in Central City, the date indicated it was two months ago.

"Of course, Lieutenant."

"Using your badge, you have to access the evidence room at SCPD. You find Oliver Queen's case, take the switchblade and bring it to me." Richard instructed.

In the courtroom, everyone watched as Seldon shot up from his chair and made a run for the door. Unluckily for him, Quentin Lance was waiting behind it. He stopped the man and kept him in the room as the video continued.

The security feed from inside the evidence room showed Parks doing as asked and tampering the evidence.

Felicity watched as Oliver's eyebrows raised in shock at that. The video went back to the coffee shop.

"You do that, and you'll come work with me in Boston after the trial." Richard continued.

The video cut and another one started, this one was more recent. The date showed it was the day of the hearing, right after Felicity had paid the bond to get Oliver home and reporters attacked them.

"I need you to do one more thing for me." Richard was furious. "You have to hurt Felicity Smoak."

Oliver's head shot up to look at her. She saw shock and rage in his eyes, his jaw clenched as he tried to keep his calm.

"I don't care how you do it, but it needs to leave evident signs." Seldon continued. "After that, I'll make an anonymous call and inform your department that Queen just hurt her. They'll arrest him for abuse, and everyone will believe that story."

"And what do I get in return?" Parks asked.

"When my name will be clean again, I'll become Captain. And you'll be my new Lieutenant." Richard promised.

After a few seconds of thinking, Parks nodded. "Okay. I'll attack her tomorrow, make sure they arrest Queen and bring him directly to Iron Heights. A few of my friends over there will have fun with him if I give them some money."

"Okay, I'll help you with it. But they must make him go through hell. No food or courtyard time, stuff like that."

"Of course. Do you think you'll win the trial? That he'll be convicted?" Parks asked.

"Well, I know a few people who can help me with that. Some jurors that will be at the trial. Let's just say I promised them some things if they convince the other jurors to vote for guilty."

The video cut again and images of money transactions started to show. Richard had paid Councilman Kullens to cover up Brickwell and Blood's illegal activities, such as weapon and drug dealings.

Once again the video of the meeting played. "And what if they can't convince the other jurors?" Parks asked.

"My friend will make sure to change the letter containing the verdict. With the verdict already pronounced, the judge won't listen to the jurors if they say it's not what they decided. It’s to prevent problems if someone has a change of heart, I don’t know. It's a legal thing, it doesn't really make any sense. Anyway, that's our last resort, my friend wants to stay as clean as possible."

The video ended and the room was silent.

The jurors were shocked, the three corrupted idiots looked unsure of what to do as they stared helplessly at each other, Thea and Roy were smiling at Felicity, Grace Seldon looked relieved, Jean was surprised, Chase unperturbed.

And Oliver...

Oliver looked at her as if she was his salvation -Felicity guessed she was somehow- but most of all she could see pride and love shining in his eyes and smile. He knew it was all her doing.

Judge McGarvey cleared his throat. "I think this is evidence enough of what really happened. Whether the jury decided for 'Guilty' or not, it doesn't matter. With this video as main evidence, I release the defendant. Mr. Queen, see probation. Then you're free to go." He banged the gavel on the table, then looked at the jurors. "Mr. Brickwell, Mr. Blood, Mr. Kullens. You're all under arrest for corruption and illegal activities. You too, Mr. Seldon." He banged the gavel again, and people started to speak over each other as agents went to arrest the criminals.

But Felicity didn't care about all of that. Her only focus was the man in front of her. The moment she stood from her chair, Oliver engulfed her in his arms, holding her tightly.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't here during your testimony." Felicity repeated to him. "But everything happened so fast, and we didn't have enough time to prove your innocence. And Ellie also wanted to stay with me, so I couldn't really leave her, and I wasn't sure if I could or should bring her here again after-"

"Hey, it's okay." Oliver slightly pulled away and stared into her eyes. "You did the right thing to stay with her. And I... I can't believe you actually made it." He shook his head in wonder as his hands cradled her face.

"I told you we were going to save each other." She replied with a smile.

"How in the world did you do this?" He asked her, his eyes still not believing what happened, then they filled with worry. "You didn't do anything illegal, right? Please tell me you're not in trouble."

"No, it's okay. I worked with Quentin, everything was done in the right way." Felicity smiled up at him. "I'll tell you about all of this, I promise, but maybe now we should-"

"Go get Ellie, yes, absolutely." Oliver replied giving her the happiest smile she had seen in a while.

He hugged her again, his arms around her waist and his face pressed to her neck. "Thank you."

"You don't have to. It was the least I could do, considering everything you did for me in the last four years." Felicity replied.

Oliver pressed a tender kiss just under her jaw, before pulling away. He looked at his sister and hugged her.

"I'm so happy you can come home, Ollie." She whispered.

"Me too, Speedy. Me too."

After a minute they pulled away, and Thea attacked her with a hug. "You're a damn genius, Felicity."

It made them laugh for the first time in a long time. "Thanks, Thea."

As she hugged her friend, she noticed Roy awkwardly holding out his hand to Oliver, who shook it with a smile and a pat on the shoulder.

"It's good to see you a free man again, Oliver."

"Thank you, Roy."

When Thea let go of her, Oliver grabbed Felicity's hand and squeezed it.

"Let's go see our daughter."

→

The moment she opened the door, Ellie, John, and Donna turned around as one. Felicity entered the room and stepped aside to let Oliver in. Matching smiles appeared on all of their faces, and Ellie jumped down from her chair to rush to her father.

"Daddy!"

Oliver met her halfway in two quick strides, his arms outstretched as he picked her up and held her close.

"Hey, baby girl."

Felicity watched as Ellie closed her eyes in happiness, Oliver doing the same as their smiles never faded from their lips.

Donna went to hug Felicity. "Oh, sweetie, I'm so proud of you!"

"Thanks, mom." She replied, warmth filling her chest at her mother's words.

When they pulled away, John rested a hand on her shoulder. "Like I said... You were going to be the one to prove his innocence."

It made her chuckle. "Yes, you did say that."

Looking back at Oliver and Ellie, she noticed Ellie looking worried, then she heard her whisper.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"You angry with me?"

"No, Ellie." Oliver pulled away to look at her. "I could never be angry at you. What you did was really brave. You said all the right things, and I am so proud of you."

"But you looked angry." She insisted. "And your friend was yelling, and the others yelled too."

"I was angry, but not at you. I was angry at that man, Adrian. He was not being nice, that's why Jean started to yell too." Oliver pulled her close again, one hand cradling the back of her head. "But I swear to you Ellie, I am not angry at you, never was and never will. _I promise_."

She let out a relieved sigh, finally believing what Felicity had been telling her all along.

"I love you, daddy."

"I love you too, sweetheart."

Felicity couldn't help the way her eyes filled with tears, one hand unconsciously went to rest over her stomach.

Oliver kissed Ellie's cheek, and she giggled. "That feels funny."

“My kisses feel funny?” Oliver questioned.

“Your beard.” Ellie responded with a grimace.

"Really?" He rubbed his cheek against hers, making her laugh.

"Daddy! It tickles!"

She had missed this. Felicity had missed the easy smile on Oliver's face, the sound of Ellie's happy laugh. She couldn't wait to get home and just enjoy some time with her family.

As if reading her thoughts, Oliver looked at her after he ended his beard-attack at Ellie. "I think it's time we finally go home. All of us."

→

Ellie was in her car seat happily holding Oliver's hand in both of hers, as Felicity sat on his other side, his arm wrapped around her shoulders keeping her close.

"Man, you should have seen her. She was amazing." John told him as he drove.

"I don't doubt it." He smiled down at her and Felicity felt herself blushing. "Can you tell me how you did that?"

She took a deep breath. "Well... It all started when Agent Parks and another officer suggested to take back home my mother and Ellie after her testimony. I recognized his voice as the masked man who attacked me a week ago." She said lowly, careful not to be heard by Ellie.

"He didn't hurt any of you, right?" He whispered to her, a frown forming between his eyebrows.

"No. John and Roy were there too. And I told the officers that I wanted Ellie and my mother near, so they just left. Anyway, since I knew Parks attacked me, I called Quentin, who was still in the building after his testimony. With his permission, I searched for suspicious movements in the last six months and found out that Parks visited Central City a lot, just like Richard Seldon. With some digging, I found the connection I was missing earlier. So Quentin requested the video footage from the coffee shop, and the owner was quick to send it to us. Parks and Seldon said all of those things, so using that I searched the jurors' recent movements, and found the connections to weapon and drug dealings. Quentin arrested Parks, and we found a copy of the security video from the evidence room on his phone. Why he'd keep that instead of destroying it, I have no idea, but it worked in our favor. Anyway... After that it was time for the verdict, and you know what happened."

As Felicity quickly recounted what she did, she watched as Oliver's smile only grew with pride.

"At first I didn't say or do anything because I hoped justice would prevail over the corruption, but... obviously someone tampered the letter. So I shared those videos."

"You are remarkable, Felicity." Oliver told her and kissed the top of her head. "And what about Chase? I have a bad feeling about him."

Felicity sighed. "Me too, and I am sure he's involved somehow, he's probably the friend who switched the letter, but I didn't find anything weird on him. No suspicious transactions, no connections to the jurors, not even a parking ticket. He's too clean if you ask me. And he said something weird during my testimony."

“What?”

“ _You tried to defend yourself but he hit you some more?_ ” She repeated his words. “They’re the same words one of the agents said before arresting you for domestic abuse.”

Oliver frowned. “He can very well be the one who collaborated with Seldon to frame me.”

“Yeah.” She confirmed.

"We'll worry about that later, okay? We’ll ask Quentin to do some legal digging." Oliver said to her, and she nodded.

Suddenly she remembered something. "Hey, why Grace Seldon wasn't next to her husband during the verdict?"

Oliver looked at her again. "You don't know?"

"Know what?"

"She stood up to him." Felicity raised her eyebrows at that. "She said how Cooper was sick, that he was raised in a hostile environment, with Richard hurting her, probably him too. She told the jury that Cooper was diagnosed with mental disorders, that caused violent tendencies and obsessive behavior, and Richard tried to keep it hidden."

Felicity didn't know what to say to that.

"She also said something about knowing about his, uh..." He glanced at Ellie. "About other women in his private life."

"That's my mother's doing." Felicity sighed closing her eyes. She felt Oliver's questioning gaze on her, so she looked at him again to explain. "After you got arrested again, she came here from Las Vegas and that same night she visited Richard in his hotel room. He was expecting a 'lady of the night' and thought my mother was there to... do her job. Anyway, she tried to make him understand that what he was doing with the trial was wrong, and told him to drop the charges against you. Obviously, he didn't care about what she said. And then today before Ellie's testimony I saw her talking to Grace. I guess she convinced her to stand up to him."

Felicity watched as everything registered in Oliver's mind.

"And, Oliver, I... I wanted to tell you about the videos and my plan and everything, I swear, but there wasn't enough time." Felicity told him, hoping he'd believe her.

"Hey, it's okay. What matters is that you made it. And I couldn't be more proud of you."

They smiled at each other, and when she was about to lean in to kiss him, Ellie's voice echoed in the car.

"Daddy, when we get home… can you do one thing for me?"

After giving her another smile and a wink, Oliver turned to their daughter, and Felicity saw him gently squeeze Ellie's hands.

"Anything."

And Felicity was sure he would do _anything_ to make her happy, especially now.

"Can you cut your beard?" She asked hopefully.

It made them all laugh.

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's my gift for you! 
> 
> Merry Christmas / happy Hannukkah / happy holidays!


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! I hope you enjoyed the holidays as much as I did! Now we're back on our schedule with this fic, so... Enjoy!

Oliver looked at his reflection in the mirror. In just over a week his stubble had become a beard, his short hair making it stand out even more. His face was still littered with cuts and bruises that barely faded away since his fight in prison.

But as he focused on the present, Oliver tried not to smile as his steady hand worked. Ellie was sitting on the counter near the sink, her hands covered her mouth trying -and failing- to stifle her giggles as he trimmed his beard with the electric razor, fixing it back to his usual stubble.

"Maybe I should leave a goatee." Oliver murmured.

"Don't you dare." Felicity said behind him as she leaned against the door.

"What does a goat have to do with your beard?" Ellie asked, her face scrunched up in puzzlement.

He and Felicity chuckled. "It's a goatee. It’s-"

"It's a nasty thing." Felicity interrupted him with a glare. "Something daddy won't have on his face unless he wants to sleep on the couch until the rest of the beard grows back."

"No goats, daddy." Ellie told him with a firm shake of her head.

"Alright, no goats." Oliver said with a fake defeated sigh, which made them laugh. "There." He turned off the razor and washed his face, he dried it and leaned down at eye level with Ellie. "How is it now?"

Ellie grabbed his face between her small hands and pulled him closer to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"This is better." She said with a satisfied smile.

"Good. How about you tell me everything I missed this week?" He picked her up, and they left the bathroom.

"Oh! I have a surprise for you, daddy!" She announced.

"You do?" He asked, almost shocked.

"Yes. Put me down."

He did as she asked and looked at Felicity with a frown, but she shrugged, silently telling him she had no idea of what their daughter was talking about. Ellie grabbed his hand and pulled him toward her room as Felicity followed them.

Ellie opened the door, and Oliver stopped in the middle of the room. Painted on the wall, he immediately recognized Robin Hood -the cartoon version. But it was nothing like the drawing he remembered. It wasn’t a stick figure, this one was an identical copy of the character, with every little detail, his head turned toward the bed as if watching over Ellie when she went to sleep. Three words were written next to it.

_My baby girl..._

Oliver started to tear up, one hand went to cover his mouth.

He couldn't believe this. Oliver never thought he could feel this way, a warmth spreading through his body as his heart threatened to burst out of his chest.

During the last four years, he had no doubt Ellie loved him, as she proved to him so many times with hugs, kisses, smiles, and words, even with a simple 'daddy.' But as he looked at the new painting on the wall, Oliver realized just how deep Ellie's love for him was.

Maybe to her it was a simple drawing that she wanted on her wall to feel him near, but to him it meant everything.

Even if he wasn't her father biologically, she just proved to him that he was. He was her father in every way that mattered.

"You don't like it, daddy?" He heard her ask.

Oliver looked down at Ellie's worried face, who didn't understand why he was crying. He kneeled in front of her, pulling her close.

"It's perfect, sweetheart." His voice rough. He glanced at Felicity next to him. "Did you help her with this?"

She shook her head causing more tears to spill from her eyes as she didn't look away from the writing. "I... I didn't know about it."

Ellie slightly pulled away from him. "Auntie Thea and uncle Roy helped me."

"Is this why she insisted to put you to bed every night this week, and you didn't complain? Because you didn't want me to see it?" Felicity asked.

Ellie blushed. "She said it was our little secret until daddy came home."

"It's beautiful, baby." Oliver reassured her.

Ellie smiled at him, her dimples showing. Felicity sat next to them on the floor, one hand rested on his back as Ellie looked at him with a frown, studying his face.

“What?” He asked.

"Your owies hurt?"

"I am okay, honey." He smiled reassuringly. In all honesty, he didn't feel anything other than the joy of being finally there with them.

Ellie's small hands went to cradle his cheeks and, with what he could only describe as tenderness, pressed her lips to his hairline where he knew there was a cut. Then went to the next, near his eyebrow, and Oliver closed his eyes.

"Ellie, careful." He heard Felicity say.

"It's okay." Oliver reassured her.

"I am kissing it better, mommy." Ellie said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, and continued to kiss every cut and bruise she could find.

When she was done, she pulled away with a smile. "Are you feeling better, daddy?"

"Very much. Thank you." He replied with a rough voice. He looked at Felicity, who had watched the scene with tears running down her cheeks. "Mommy has an owie too."

"Do you want me to kiss it better?" Ellie asked her hopefully.

He watched as Felicity opened her mouth a couple of times, but no words came out.

"I think she would really like you to." Oliver encouraged her.

Ellie let go of him and grabbed Felicity's face before kissing her still bruised eye. But she didn't stop there, she kissed every spot she kissed on his face too. More tears spilled from Felicity's eyes as she barely contained her cries.

"Is it better now?" Ellie asked her when she was done.

"Yes, sweetheart."

Felicity pulled her closer until Ellie sat on her lap, and Oliver didn't waste time, he went to wrap his arms around the both of them.

For a long time, they didn't say anything, only Ellie talked, telling Oliver all the things she did that week while he was missing. Eventually, she fell asleep between them, the day's event finally catching up with her, and they gently put her in her bed, the covers pulled up against her chin, the white teddy bear right next to her. Oliver and Felicity stayed on the floor wrapped around each other, looking at Ellie, not ready to leave her yet.

"I was so scared." Felicity whispered against his neck. "I was scared she could get emotionally scarred after her testimony. Chase- that bastard's words were just-"

"I know." He replied, knowing exactly how she felt.

"I was scared of losing you. I don't even want to think about the chance of you ending up in there for-" She choked on a sob and Oliver tightened his hold.

"It's okay. It's over now. I am home, and I'm not going anywhere. I promise." He whispered to her.

Oliver felt her take a deep breath, steeling herself for something before speaking again.

"And we... We need to talk about a few things."

That was it.

He knew they were going to talk about his proposal. Like she said earlier, she was going to give him his answer when they were at home, with Ellie there with them.

But he had something to say first.

"Felicity... Before you say anything, I just want you to know that I meant it, every word I said. That I want to marry you and have a family with you. I still believe that, no matter what." Oliver stared deeply into her eyes, trying to convey how important this was to him. "But when I heard the guilty verdict... I realized that I don't need to get married to be happy, I don't need a piece of paper. I just want to be with you. So if you don't want to accept it, or you're not sure about it, just know that I'll respect your choice whatever it is. As long as you're in my life, I'm happy."

Oliver waited with baited breath as he watched a series of emotions cross Felicity's face.

"I'm pregnant."

Oliver blinked a couple of times, trying to understand if she actually spoke or not. He was starting to believe he had hallucinations or heard voices inside his head when she spoke again.

"I... A week ago, the day I finished early at work, I went to my doctor to verify it. She confirmed I'm pregnant, around five weeks, well now six." She took a deep breath. "I was going to tell you that night, but you got arrested and it just... It got delayed. I didn't want to tell you before the trial was over because I didn't want you to be distracted, but it felt wrong to keep it from you. So I tried again today, twice, but we got interrupted every time, then you proposed and... Now here we are, with you taking back your proposal and me still pregnant." Felicity finished unsure.

With a shake of his head, Oliver quickly went to reassure her. "I'm not taking it back. I..." Words failed him. For a few moments, he just stared at her until he settled on a whisper. "You are pregnant?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I know we talked about having more kids one day, and decided together to stop using birth control just a few months ago... Then agreed to just enjoy ourselves and wait before really trying to have one, but... it kind of already happened, and I'm not sure where you stand on that."

Her words registered in his head, but it was like his brain short-circuited, only one word repeating over and over.

Pregnant.

Pregnant.

_Pregnant._

"I'm going to be a father?" He whispered with tears in his eyes. "Again?"

Felicity nodded with a small smile. "Yes. And this time you'll be here from the very beginning... if... you want."

"Felicity." He whispered.

Oliver let go of her with one hand, to reach inside his pocket and retrieve the small box he grabbed earlier. Her eyes widened as a small gasp escaped her mouth. He opened the box and showed her the ring he picked for her.

"I bought this a couple of months ago. I saw it and... I couldn't not buy it. I wasn't sure when I was going to propose, if in a few days, weeks, months or even years. I just knew that one day I was going to ask you. I certainly didn't plan on doing it during a trial. But this week, and especially today, I realized that I can't live without you. I don't _want_ to live without you. Or Ellie. Or, now, this baby."

With his right hand holding the ring, he used the left to grab her hand, squeezing it tightly.

"I want to be here for you and them, on good days and on bad days, no matter what. And I would like to call you my wife if you want that too."

More tears spilled from her eyes, and Oliver really hoped they were of happiness. Just when the silence was starting to stretch for too long, Felicity nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes, Oliver." She tightened her hand in his. "I want to marry you. And I want to raise our children together."

With a smile so wide that hurt his face, Oliver took the ring out of the box, grabbed Felicity's trembling left hand again and slowly slid it on her finger.

"It's a little loose." He said with a sigh. He really hoped it was going to fit perfectly.

"That's okay." Felicity smiled up at him. "It means I can keep it when I'll put on weight for this one." She said, resting their hands on her flat stomach.

Oliver let out a shaky breath. "I can't believe you're actually pregnant. I mean, we made love and it just happened. That's... I can't even wrap my head around it."

"I know." She agreed with a chuckle, then turned serious. "I love Ellie, with all my soul. And I will _never_ regret having her. The only thing I wish was different is the way she was conceived because there was no love in that."

Oliver pulled her close until she had her back against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her from behind, their entwined hands resting on her abdomen protectively, their eyes on Ellie's relaxed face.

"I wish that too. You didn't deserve to be treated like that, no one does. But you told me you loved her only hours after finding out about her, just like this one is being loved now. From the very beginning." Oliver kissed the top of her head, and felt, rather than heard, Felicity sigh. "I think that's what matters to her, to them. And I'm not belittling what you've been through, that's not what I-"

"No, no. I get what you mean. And I agree. I'm glad something good came out of it. Like I said, I'll never regret having her, no matter what." She reassured him his words didn't offend her, and Oliver nodded.

"Ellie is my daughter as much as this one is, and I'll love them the same way. No differences." He promised.

Felicity tightened her hands over his, the cold band around her finger reassuring him everything was real and not a dream.

"I know. And that's one of the many reasons why I love you." She turned her head to look up at him.

"I love you so much." He whispered.

Oliver leaned down and pressed his lips against Felicity's.

And finally, nothing else existed other than the two of them and their children.

→


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are with a new chapter...
> 
> For those of you who are worried that something is going to happen... yes, you're right, something _will_ happen, but for a few chapters we are safe, so just enjoy them!

Two hours later, they finally decided to call it a night and go to bed, Oliver insisting she shouldn't sit on the floor for too long. Felicity joked he was already being overprotective and her words made him smile.

When they were in their bedroom, they changed into their usual sleepwear, Felicity wearing one of Oliver's shirts and him only his underwear. When she was ready, she waited and watched in silence as he put his discarded clothes on a chair. He took a shower earlier when they arrived home, wanting to wash away any prison residues, while Felicity cooked dinner with Ellie, so she didn't see him shirtless before now.

She couldn't help the trembling breath that escaped her mouth.

His chest and back were covered in bruises from the fight he had a few days before in prison. Between those and the scars he already had, there was almost no uninjured skin.

"Hey." Oliver whispered, catching her attention as he walked closer to her, his hands rested on her shoulders. "I'll be fine."

Felicity swallowed. "It doesn't mean it's okay what they did to you." She raised a hand and ran it over his short hair. "Even this is unacceptable because it was not your choice."

"I know. And Jean talked to me about suing and taking them to court. But thanks to that video we know Parks and Seldon paid the guards. They'll have what they deserve anyway, I don't want to get in the middle of it again. I just want to forget of ever being there and go on with my life. With _our_ life."

Felicity couldn't tear her eyes away from his chest, her hand moving toward him without her permission. She barely touched his skin, her hand traveled down from his shoulder to his chest, and then over his abs.

"Does it... all of this... hurt?" She whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

Oliver's hands gently wrapped around her wrists, following her movements, and when she reached his chest again he pulled her hands closer until they were firmly pressed against him, right over his heart.

"No, they don't." He whispered back.

Without thinking, Felicity pressed her lips on his left shoulder, where the worst of the bruising was concentrated, then she kissed the one next to it, and then the next. She felt Oliver's sigh wash over her, his hands running down her arms in a comforting way.

"Are you kissing it better?" He asked, and even if she wasn't looking at him, Felicity knew he was smiling.

What was supposed to be a chuckle came out as a sob, and after that she couldn't stop the tears that started to run freely down her face.

"Shh, hey, come here."

Oliver's gentle hands guided her to the bed where he made her sit next to him before wrapping his arms around her, her face pressed into his neck as he left small kisses wherever he could reach, his hand gently cradling the back of her head. He let her cry for a while until Felicity took in a deep breath and tried to regain control of her body.

"I'm sorry, I should be comforting you, not the other way around." She sniffled.

"It's okay, being home with my family is enough comfort to me. And you don't need to apologize, it's been a hard week for you too."

Felicity sighed again and looked up at him. Oliver smiled down at her, his fingers brushed her cheek when he pulled a strand of hair behind her ear, before cradling her face with both hands and wiping away her tears with his thumbs.

Felicity had missed this. She had missed his touch, his looks, his smile. She had missed him.

Her left arm sneaked around Oliver's neck as she leaned closer to him until she captured his lips with her own, her tongue seeking his. He responded to the kiss with equal fervor, his hands moved from her cheeks and ran down her body until he grabbed her waist and made her straddle him. Her arms stayed locked around his shoulders in a vice grip, afraid that if she let him go he'd disappear.

The desperation Felicity felt was nothing she ever experienced before, and if Oliver's shaking hands on her back were any indication, he felt the same.

Her body filled with want and need to reconnect with the man she loved, her hips moved against him on their own volition, and she could feel him right where she wanted him. Suddenly she broke the kiss but didn't go far, her lips still brushed against his as she spoke.

"You sure this isn't going to hurt you more?" Felicity frowned in worry, but Oliver shook his head.

"No, nothing hurts. What about the baby? Is it safe for him? Or her?"

She smiled at him. "Yes. Nothing to worry about."

Oliver smiled back at her, his hands grabbed the hem of her shirt and helped her to pull it off, leaving her only in her underwear.

"You're beautiful." He whispered.

His smile grew, and Felicity knew she just blushed at his compliment, right before he framed her face and gently placed his lips over hers one more time, their breaths mixing together.

Shivers ran down her spine when his hands trailed down her naked back in a soft touch before his arms wrapped around her middle and he stood. Never breaking the kiss, Felicity felt him kneel on the bed where he gently placed her down, his body a comforting weight on top of her.

Her right hand went to the back of his head to keep him close, her fingers traced his too short hair, missing the softness she was used to, and Oliver sighed into her mouth. They both moaned as his hips pressed against her, their underwear the only piece of clothing separating them.

"Want to switch and stay on top?" Oliver asked her.

On hard days, when she was feeling down or something unsettled her, he always asked her that, giving her the chance to feel in control of something again. She often accepted his offer, but tonight was different. It wasn't Felicity who needed to feel in control of something, so she shook her head no and kissed him again, as her hands grabbed his boxers trying to push them down.

Oliver helped her to get rid of them, before kissing down her neck, his right hand running down her side, and goosebumps rose at his soft touch. His lips moved down her body and lingered on her stomach, soft puffs of air hit her skin as he whispered something, his action bringing tears to her eyes. Oliver placed a warm kiss there, before slowly removing her panties. He crawled back to her and wrapped his arms around her.

Oliver frowned when he noticed she was quietly crying. "Hey... Talk to me, what's wrong?"

Felicity shook her head smiling. "Nothing's wrong. Everything is perfect." She kissed him. "You are amazing. And I love you."

He stared at her for a few moments, probably trying to understand if she was really fine or if she said it for his sake. When he looked convinced, he gave her a questioning nod, before she smiled at him and nodded back. Their eyes locked on each other as he gently pushed in, their moans filling the room. By silent agreement, Oliver set a slow pace.

During the last four years, they experimented a few things. Most of the times it was a gentle lovemaking, just to express how they felt for each other. Other times they'd be more passionate, sometimes even a little rough at her request but, no matter what they did, he always respected her and never made her feel like an object or just a way to get pleasure.

Oliver always cherished her body with gentle caresses, reminded her he loved her with words and kisses, made sure she always felt comfortable with what they did.

Felicity still couldn't believe she had found someone like him who wanted to take care of her like this. Who made her feel loved more than anything.

Just like he was taking care of her at that moment, with whispered loving words and tender hands holding her as they moved as one, pleasure filling their bodies.

They went on for a long time, Oliver's lazy thrusts the best thing she felt in a while. They didn't rush it, having all the time in the world in front of them, but eventually, her legs started to shake.

"Oliver." She moaned into his mouth, her hands digging into his back to hold him closer.

"I'm here, honey." He kissed her hungrily, his right hand went to the back of her knee and pulled it higher over his hip, making him go deeper. His left arm tightened around her back, their chests pressed together as his thrusts became erratic.

"I love you, Felicity."

His strangled whisper and the desperate way he pushed into her, were enough to set her body on fire. She moaned loudly as pleasure took control of her body, making her tremble against him, just when Oliver tensed on top of her with a groan.

When her body stopped shaking and Felicity was able to open her eyes again, she realized Oliver was leaving open-mouthed kisses on her cheeks, her neck, and shoulders.

"I love you so much." She finally whispered back.

Oliver looked at her with a bright smile before he leaned down to kiss her forehead, the most tender kiss she ever received.

"I'm glad to hear that." He smiled again at her and was about to pull out, but she tightened her arms around him.

"Don't leave yet." She murmured, making him chuckle.

"We should get cleaned up." Oliver didn't move though.

"Just a few more minutes, please." Her eyes closed on their own volition, and Felicity knew she was about to fall asleep.

He softly kissed her lips. "Okay." He carefully maneuvered them, so he was on his back with Felicity straddling him, her tired body limp against him as they never disconnected. Somehow, Oliver was able to cover them with the bed sheets so they didn’t get cold.

For a while, they didn't speak as their hands lazily ran over their bodies, enjoying each other's presence. But her mind didn't stop as she glanced at her left hand resting on his shoulder, the ring he gave her shining even with the soft light coming from the nightstand.

"I can feel you thinking." Oliver whispered in her ear. "Talk to me. Please."

Felicity smiled against his shoulder as once again he proved to know her better than anyone else.

"I was just thinking that... maybe we can wait to get married. I mean, I _want_ to get married, I told you that and I'm not changing my mind." She hurried to reassure him. "But... I think I want to wait after the baby is born. For one, I don't want to rush the wedding, to get everything done before I'm physically too much pregnant to wear a decent wedding dress."

Oliver chuckled. "You'll be perfect in any dress."

Her smile grew. "Thank you. But mostly I want to wait... because when I was pregnant with Ellie there was always the looming threat of Cooper showing up. Sometimes there were quiet moments when I enjoyed to just... exist with a tiny little person living inside of me, when I could feel Ellie kicking or moving. Those moments were so rare that I couldn't really enjoy them at the fullest because then he'd do something to make me afraid again."

Felicity raised her head to look at him in the eyes. "If we start to plan our wedding now, I won't be able to really enjoy those moments because I'd be distracted. And, Oliver, I really, _really_ crave those moments."

She watched as he took in her words and a smile appeared on his lips. He tugged her down to his chest until she rested her head against him again, his right hand running through her hair as his left arm tightened his hold around her waist.

"We will wait as long as you want to. Like I said, I'm happy to just have my family next to me. Everything else can wait." Oliver kissed the top of her head. "And I want to enjoy those moments too. Even if I can't feel it physically, I want to feel it emotionally. Be there for you when you will be sick in the morning, when you will feel the first kick, when during a visit you'll listen to the heartbeat. I want to enjoy those moments with you."

His words brought a fresh wave of tears to her eyes.

"I love you."

He smiled against her.

"I love you too."

Quiet surrounded them, their breaths the only sound in the room. It didn't take long before Felicity fell asleep, with Oliver's hands tenderly caressing her body and his steady heartbeat under her ear.

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you tomorrow with the next one!


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone, sorry if it's later than usual, but work was a mess today (I can't wait for these holidays to be over!) 
> 
> Here's more fluff for you!

When she woke up it was dark around her, probably the middle of the night. She didn't know what woke her, but it took her only a few moments to realize she was wearing pants and a shirt. It made her smile.

Every time they made love and she fell asleep naked, Oliver took the time to get them cleaned up and put some clothes on her. When she asked him why he did that, he replied that it was to make her feel comfortable, and also a way to respect her when she wasn't awake. She thought it was such a tender thing.

Felicity tried to snuggle closer to the warmth behind her, but the arm draped over her middle wasn't Oliver's. She felt a kick in her back, then heard movement as the small foot was pulled away from her.

"It’s okay, I’m here." A whisper so soft she barely heard it.

Felicity carefully turned around. Oliver was holding back Ellie's kicking legs as the rest of her small body was pressed against Felicity, little snores coming from her. Oliver was awake and looking at her with a small smile.

"She came in here a few hours ago. Said she couldn't sleep." He whispered. "She's been quite restless."

With a sigh, Felicity ran her hand through her daughter's hair. She noticed Oliver was wearing pants and a shirt, and she frowned. He usually slept in just his underwear.

"I figured she'd come in here at some point."

He didn't want her to see the extent of his bruises. At least, that was what Felicity first thought. "Please tell me you're not afraid of being shirtless around her after what Chase said today." She whispered, and he looked away. "Oliver... Our daughter is not scared of you. She never saw your affection like that."

Oliver looked back at her with a frown. "How can you be sure of that?"

Felicity sighed and scooted closer to them, her hand resting at the nape of his neck. "Because you're not that kind of man. I know it, and Ellie knows it too. She might not understand the meaning behind Chase's words, but she never felt threatened like that around you. Ellie doesn't feel uncomfortable with you, she feels loved and taken care of. I'm sure of that because I know our daughter. And you know her too, so you must know that your worries are just a result of that idiot's words."

Felicity spoke quietly but firmly and watched as Oliver listened to every word she said. After a minute he closed his eyes and sighed, his body slowly relaxing, her fingers gently grazed his neck and shoulder, hoping to comfort him. When he opened his eyes again they weren't haunted anymore.

"Thank you."

"You don't have to. I'm just stating the truth."

He gave her a small smile. "I still don't want her to see me bruised though."

"On that, I agree. She already worries about the bruises she can see, she doesn't need to see more."

Oliver nodded before moving closer, his arms wrapping around the both of them as Ellie continued to hug Felicity. Her little hand moved and grabbed his arm, humming happily as she was cocooned in their warmth.

Felicity noticed that at some point Ellie stopped kicking, and she wondered if their hushed voices helped her to feel safe.

"Let's go back to sleep, okay?" Oliver whispered against her forehead.

She nodded, his lips brushing her skin as he left a kiss there.

"I love you."

"I love you."

→

Oliver smiled as he flipped another pancake on the plate and got the pan ready for the next. He had missed the small things of his daily routine, like making breakfast for his two favorite girls.

Now three girls, his brain added. Or maybe they were expecting a little boy. Or two girls. Or two boys. Or a girl and a boy. God, what if they were twins? He never asked Felicity if there were ever twins in her family.

The smell of something burning hit his nose, Oliver looked down at the pan and noticed smoke coming from the now black pancake. With a silent curse, he pulled it off the stove and threw it in the trashcan.

With a chuckle, he focused on his work. This baby was already keeping him distracted, and he found out only last night. Oliver had no idea how he was going to survive for more than seven months before he could be able to hold them in his arms.

Feet shuffling on the floor made him turn slightly. Felicity was carrying a still half asleep Ellie, her arms wrapped around her mother's neck as she rested her head against Felicity's shoulder.

"Good morning." Oliver told them with a smile.

"It's not so good without coffee." Felicity replied with a frown, making him chuckle.

He flipped the last pancake and turned off the stove before quickly walking to them. He pulled them in for a hug and gave Felicity a chaste kiss on the lips. She hummed against him.

"Better?" He asked after pulling away to look at her.

"A little." But she was smiling. That was more than just a little.

Ellie reached out to him with an arm, and Oliver took her from Felicity. She hugged him the same way as she hugged Felicity moments ago, Oliver leaned down and kissed her tangled hair.

"Good morning to you too. Did you sleep okay?" She slowly nodded against him. "How about some breakfast?" She scrunched up her nose.

"Want to sleep." Ellie mumbled.

"But if you sleep now you won't be able to sleep tonight. And you know that oversleeping in the morning makes you grumpy." Oliver tickled her belly, making her laugh. "Also... I made your favorite breakfast."

Her head perked up at that. "Pancakes with chocolate chips and strawberries to the side?"

"Only the best for my baby girl." He confirmed.

Oliver saw her lick her lips in anticipation. He laughed and put her on a chair. "I'll get the pancakes for you. You can start to eat the strawberries." He told her, putting some in the plate in front of her.

"Thank you, daddy."

He went to get the plate from the counter and saw Felicity making herself coffee.

He frowned. "Uh... Felicity..."

"It's decaf." She reassured him without turning around. "I've been drinking this for the last week, my doctor said this is okay, as long as I don't drink too much in a day because it still contains caffeine."

He walked closer to her and put a hand on her lower back. She looked up at him.

"It's already an unbearable torture not being able to drink a proper cup of coffee, this tastes like... like dirty water, but it's something. Please don't deny me this." Her eyes pleading.

"I'd never deny you coffee. I just wanted to be sure it was safe for both of you." Oliver said with a smile.

"It is. Thank you." She smiled back.

"Daddy? Can I have my pancakes?" Ellie asked impatiently from her chair, her small hand stuffing pieces of strawberries in her mouth.

"One minute she's asleep, the next she devours half of our fridge contents." Felicity shook her head in amusement.

Oliver grabbed the plate, kissed his _fiancée_ , and walked back to the table.

"The breakfast is served, milady." He announced with a dramatic bow, which made Ellie giggle. "I hope this is to your liking."

She cut one piece with her fork and ate it, her legs under the table swinging happily. "This is the best pancake ever!" She said with a full mouth.

Felicity sat next to her with a laugh, and Oliver sat at Ellie's other side. "Good."

He made to grab one with his fork, but Ellie slapped his hand. He felt like a child being scolded. "You said they were for me, daddy!"

"Not all of them." Oliver laughed. "You can't eat ten pancakes, sweetheart. These are for me and mommy too." He made puppy dog eyes, pouting a little bit. "Don't you want to give mommy and daddy something to eat?"

She looked at him with sad eyes, then looked at Felicity. She was pouting too, but it was more a way to hide her amused grin.

"You can take some too." Ellie said with a firm nod. "But I want more strawberries."

Both Oliver and Felicity smiled at her. "Deal." He said.

They ate in silence, just smiling at each other, happy to be together again. When they were almost finished, the doorbell rang. Oliver saw Felicity freeze, he reached out a hand and grabbed hers, making her turn to look at him with wide eyes.

"It's okay. Thea texted me, said she was going to pass by this morning." He reassured her, and Felicity visibly relaxed.

He guessed, after the last two times, she was still scared of someone taking him away from them. He knew they needed to talk about that before the situation got worse, like years ago after the whole Cooper thing.

Oliver stood and went to the door. His sister barely gave him the time to open the door that she launched herself at him, his arms catching her.

"Hi to you too, Speedy." He said with a chuckle.

"Hi, I'm sorry, it's just..." She took a step back and fixed her clothes and hair in a nervous way. "I just missed you this week. And yesterday was a bit frenetic, so... Yeah, I'm just happy you're home again." She ended with a bright smile.

"I'm glad to be here too. And to see you this happy, Speedy." He answered with a smile of his own before looking at Roy behind her. "Roy, please enter, don't stay in the doorway."

"Thanks, I didn't want to interrupt your moment." He walked in and closed the door.

Oliver had to admit that his attitude and manners got better the longer he stayed with Thea, and was glad that the young man treated his sister well, like she deserved.

"Auntie Thea!" Ellie came running to her, her last pancake forgotten in her plate as she launched herself in his sister’s arms.

"Hey, munchkin."

"Daddy and mommy liked the painting!" She exclaimed.

"I told you they were going to." His sister replied with a smug grin.

Oliver and Roy got closer to the table. "Speedy... It's wonderful. I don't know how to thank you for that. And it means a lot to me."

"Yeah," Felicity added, "had I known what you were up to, I would have helped you."

"Then where was the surprise?" Thea smiled at her. "Also, you were busy with more important things. And Roy helped us."

Oliver saw him blush. "I just gave you suggestions. I'm bad at drawing."

"No, uncle Roy. You helped me to color it."

He smiled. "I guess you're right, kiddo."

Oliver sighed in happiness as he watched his family reunited in their kitchen. He suddenly noticed Roy was holding two bags.

"Hey, what's that?" He asked.

"Felicity didn't tell you?" His sister questioned him with a frown, looking between the two of them.

"She told me- wait, uh..." Oliver stopped himself. He wasn't sure if Felicity told her about the pregnancy, he guessed not, but they didn't talk about when they were going to tell everyone. "What was she supposed to tell me?"

"About your 'Welcome back home' party." Thea told him as if it was obvious.

With a tilt of his head, Oliver looked at Felicity, who shrugged. "I kinda forgot about it until now. I'm sorry, we got a little carried out last night and-"

"Whoa, gross!" Thea exclaimed with a disgusted face. "As much as I'm happy you two are back into each other's arms, I don't need to know the details."

"Yeah, me neither, thank you." Roy joined in.

"No! I don't mean it like that!" Felicity hurried to explain but the damage was already done. "I, well, yes, but we-"

"Felicity!" Thea yelled, making Ellie laugh, unaware of what was really going on.

"I mean we _talked_." Felicity looked at him exasperatedly. "A little help would be appreciated."

Oliver chuckled and walked to her. "We discussed a few things." He deliberately took her left hand, entwining their fingers.

Thea must have noticed that because she gasped. "Oh my god, she gave you an answer!"

"Yep." He responded, never breaking eye contact with his girl, who smiled at him.

"And she said yes, I told you she was going to say yes!" Thea walked to them and awkwardly hugged them both.

"This is funny." Ellie laughed between all of them.

"Congratulations, guys. I'm so happy."

"Thank you, Speedy."

She pulled away and kissed Ellie's face. "Does she know?"

"Not yet." Felicity replied and looked at him. He nodded in understanding. Felicity went to take Ellie and placed her on her hip.

"I don't know what?" Their daughter asked frowning, not liking to be left in the dark.

"Sweetie... Do you know when at the end of the Disney movies the prince and the princess dance happily because they are together?"

"Yes, it's the best part of the movie." Ellie nodded seriously.

"Well... Daddy and I are going to do something like that… because we will get married."

Oliver watched as Ellie's frown deepened, not fully understanding the meaning of marriage.

"Like... Have a big party with everyone dressed nice?" She asked.

"Yes, like that." Oliver confirmed placing a hand on her back.

"And I will be the one throwing flower petals everywhere?" Ellie asked with her eyes full of hope.

"I actually thought you could do something else." Oliver teased her with a smile. "Something even more important."

" _More_ important?"

"Yes... You will carry the rings to the altar." He whispered to her.

Her eyes widened comically, her little mouth opened in wonder. "Oooh."

They all laughed at her reaction.

"I like that."

Thea's phone beeped and after looking at it she announced they needed to get to work before everyone else arrived.

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you tomorrow with the party!


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a new chapter... Enjoy!

The party was just for their closest friends, with Thea and Roy, John, Lyla, Sara and JJ, Iris and Caitlin who were still in the city after the trial, and Barry who quickly caught a train that morning. Captain Lance couldn't make it, due to all the work he had to take down the corruption they discovered running in the police department.

The doorbell rang again over the music, and Oliver knew it was Donna who finally arrived. As one person, he and Felicity reached the door at the same time, matching smiles on their faces as they opened the door. On the other side stood Donna with Grace Seldon next to her.

"Hi." They both said a little surprised.

"Hey, I know I'm late," Donna started, "but I was talking to Grace and... She told me there was something she wanted to say to you before going back to Boston."

After a moment of stupor, they came to their senses.

"Yeah, come in, don't stay out there." Felicity opened the door more so the two women could walk in.

"Thank you." Grace told them with a small smile.

"Can I get something for you? Water? Wine?" Oliver asked her politely.

"No, thank you. I'll be out of your hair in a few minutes, I just... I wanted to say to the both of you that I'm sorry for my part in this story. I didn't know what my husband was really doing, and for the last three years I tried to stop this... messed up plan of his. But, as you might have guessed, my words fell on deaf ears." She looked at Felicity. "I'm also sorry about Cooper. He was doing better after he started to take his meds, but apparently he stopped and... just pretended to be okay around us. I had no idea he treated you like that, or I would have tried to do something."

Oliver saw Felicity take a deep breath, he rested a comforting hand on her lower back and moved it in slow circles, hoping to give her some comfort and strength. Suddenly a dark thought popped into his mind.

"Mrs. Seldon... Forgive me for my bluntness, but were Cooper's mental problems... hereditary?" He felt Felicity tense next to him.

"No. The doctors always said they were a result for the unhealthy environment he grew up in. It's not genetic." She reassured them.

The tension left both of his and Felicity's bodies. Ellie was going to be okay.

"Thank you." Felicity whispered.

"Yes," Oliver continued, "and I would like to thank you for what you said at the courthouse. I think that helped to convince the jury of my innocence, even if corruption got the upper hand for a moment with the verdict."

"You don't need to thank me. I should have talked sooner." She glanced down at the floor in shame, before looking at them again. "Donna’s words before your testimony really made me open my eyes. I knew Richard was that kind of man, with all those women and everything else, but… I was scared of what was going to happen if I went against him."

Donna rested her hand on Grace’s shoulder. "You don’t have to be afraid of him anymore. And I can assure you that sometimes it’s better to be alone than to be with someone who doesn’t deserve you."

Oliver guessed the three women next to him knew something about it.

Grace took a deep breath. "I will always mourn Cooper, sick or not he was still my son. But when I heard that you... you had stopped him, I was devastated but also relieved, because I knew he wasn't going to hurt anyone else. Maybe that makes me a heartless mother, but-"

"It doesn't." Donna said. "Mothers always hope their children will be the best people in the world. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't. Cooper doing... everything he did in his unstable state of mind, probably felt like a failure to you. But he became that kind of person because of your husband's actions against you and him. It's not your fault, and no one blames you for his actions. And you feeling relieved that people won't suffer because of him shows us that you _have_ a heart, not the contrary."

Grace glanced at the three of them and they were both nodding, trying to make her understand she shouldn't feel guilty for that.

Suddenly, Ellie ran to them, her hand pulling at Felicity's shirt. "Mommy, when can we eat the cake?"

"Just a few minutes, sweetheart." She replied with a smile, her hand running through her daughter's curly hair.

"But I am hungry." Ellie whined stomping her foot.

Oliver stared at Felicity when she glanced back at him, a silent conversation going on before they nodded at each other.

"Hey." Oliver bent down to pick up Ellie, placing her on his hip. "There's someone we want you to meet."

She looked at the woman she only saw twice in her life and frowned. "Daddy, she was with the bad man that asked many questions." She whispered in his ear.

"She's okay, baby. She wasn't really with him." Oliver reassured her, and a small smile appeared on her face. "This is Mrs. Se-"

"Grace, please. I am Grace." She interrupted him, as she looked lovingly at Ellie. "I am, uh..."

They all looked at each other, trying to figure out a way to describe what she was to her. They couldn't tell her she was her grandmother, that would only raise questions they weren't ready to answer.

"She's my friend." Donna said, breaking the tension.

"Hi, Grace." Ellie waved her hand and the woman waved back.

Felicity ran her hand on Ellie's back. "Hey, can you go ask uncle John if he can help you get the plates ready? We will be there in a few minutes for the cake."

"Yes!" Ellie yelled, half jumping out of Oliver's embrace.

When she was out of earshot, Grace spoke again. "Thank you. I... It means a lot to me what you just did." She had tears in her eyes, and they knew her words were sincere. "You don't need to tell her who I am. It's probably better if she doesn't know about Cooper at all, but maybe... Maybe I could call sometimes? Just to know how she's doing?" She asked hopefully.

Felicity smiled at her. "Of course."

"Thank you." She gave them a smile before checking her watch. "I should go now."

"Do you want to stay for the cake?" Oliver asked her.

"Thank you, I appreciate the offer but I have a flight in a few hours and the cab is still waiting for me outside."

"That's for another time then." Felicity replied before the woman left.

When the door closed again, Donna hugged Felicity. "I am so proud of how the two of you handled this."

"It was the right thing to do. She didn't do anything bad." Felicity shrugged.

"Mooommy!" Ellie's loud voice reached them, and they laughed.

"We should go before she tries to cut it by herself." Felicity joked.

"More like she tries to stuff her face in it to eat all the whipped cream." Oliver replied as they walked to the girl in question.

As Felicity cut the cake, Oliver filled the glasses with sparkling wine. When everyone had a plate and a glass in their hands, he walked to stand next to Felicity, his left arm wrapped around her waist, Ellie sitting on the couch next to him. With a glass of wine in his right hand, one of water in Felicity's left hand, he got ready for a speech.

"I want to thank everyone. Not just to be here today, or for being present this week, one way or another... But for being part of our lives, every day, and for supporting us when we really need it. I am grateful to each one of you... But there is one person, in particular, I am grateful for." He looked down at Felicity, who raised her eyebrows and pointed at herself in question. "You."

Their friends quietly laughed at her reaction.

"If it wasn't for you, I most likely wouldn't be here right now, celebrating. You, Felicity, are the most amazing woman I've ever met. You are brilliant, beautiful, funny, kind, gorgeous, and a wonderful mother. You brought Ellie into my life, making it even better."

He looked at their daughter who smiled at them, her face smeared with chocolate and whipped cream from the cake.

"So, for all of these reasons, I decided this isn't a ‘welcome back party’ anymore. It's an engagement party." He announced.

"What?!" Donna's squeal came from somewhere next to them, but they kept staring at each other.

"Because hadn't I proposed yet, Felicity, I'd be proposing to you right now." Oliver smiled at her and she smiled back.

"Good thing you already know my answer would be _yes_."

The room filled with happy cheers and applause as they shared a tender kiss.

"Oh, my god!" Donna clapped right in front of them.

When they pulled apart, she grabbed Felicity's left hand and looked at the ring.

"How in the world did I not notice this! And why you didn't say anything?"

"We had a few important things to discuss, then it was time for the cake..." Felicity shrugged.

"Oh, I'm so happy!" Donna hugged the both of them. "I'm going to call you my son, finally."

They laughed as everyone got closer to them to congratulate. After they all talked to them, Oliver noticed John had stayed to the side, looking at them with a smile. He made his way to his best friend, who reached out to him and hugged him too.

"Congratulations, man. I'm happy for both of you."

"Thank you, John."

"It goes unsaid that if you hurt her, I -as Felicity's friend and big brother figure- will hurt you." He threatened, making Oliver chuckle.

"I have no doubts."

When they pulled away Oliver saw his friend staring at him with a weird look.

"What?" He questioned with a frown.

"She told you." John stated with a smile, keeping his voice low.

Oliver stuttered his next sentence. "Uh, I- She... What did she tell me?"

John scoffed. "You are such a bad liar. I'm actually impressed you kept it a secret from your sister for almost an entire day. Especially after you gave Felicity water instead of wine without even asking her what she wanted."

Oliver wasn't sure what to say. "She told you?"

"She didn't have to. Yesterday when she left the courtroom she got sick, I just connected the dots and figured it out myself. A week ago she fainted, then she was tired, lost her appetite, and got sick. My wife went through it twice, I recognize the signs." He explained. "Don't worry, I didn't tell anyone. That's one of the best parts of it, you should do it together when you're both ready."

"I..." Oliver was speechless. "Thank you, John. For everything."

"Don't even mention it. Aaand it looks like your future wife can't stay away from you for more than five minutes." He told him nodding at someone behind him.

 _Wife_. He liked the sound of that.

Oliver turned around and saw Felicity quickly walking to them, a strained smile on her lips. "Can I talk to you for a second?" She asked him, but her question left no room for arguments.

"Yeah."

They walked to the hallway where they could talk in private, and Felicity immediately turned to him with a glare.

"I told you I didn't want it."

He frowned at her. "The- the proposal?"

"The money. QC just called me. You gave me 1 million dollars for my project. That's the same amount of money I paid for the bond to keep you out of jail at the hearing."

Oliver sighed. She was angry, no she was fuming. He put his hands on her arms, feeling relieved when she didn't pull away. "Felicity, I told you I was going to give it back to you as soon as I could."

"And I told you I didn't want it." She insisted. "I knew what I was doing when I spent that money."

"I know, but what was it all for?" Oliver retorted. "You paid, I came home, the next day they arrested me again." He shook his head. "You spent a million dollars for nothing. Me giving them back to you is only right."

Felicity sighed and looked at the floor. "You didn't even use the company's money, you used your personal."

"Yes." He didn't hesitate to reply, one finger going to her chin to raise her head so she was looking at him. "I wanted to fund a project you believe in, a project I know one day will be a success. Felicity, I believe in your abilities, I know you can do this because every day you prove to be the best in your field."

When she looked up at him again, she shrugged with one shoulder. "At least this way, if the project works, you'll have some profit."

"That was the last thing on my mind, but yes." Oliver nodded. "I didn't give you the money to earn something though. I did it because it was right. I need you to know that."

"I know." Felicity said before wrapping her arms around his waist, her head pressed in the crook of his neck.

"Maybe we should talk about having shared bank accounts." He suggested.

Felicity sighed. "I... I'm not after your money."

"I know you're not." He reassured her. "This conversation proves that even more. But we live together and we're going to get married, so what is mine is yours too."

She sighed again. "Alright."

"Are we okay?" Oliver asked worriedly.

Felicity nodded against him. "Yeah. I just wanted to be informed before you actually did something about it."

"You're right. And I'm sorry, I should have told you." He tightened his hold on her.

"Just promise me the next time you'll make important decisions you'll talk to me first, even if you think I won't agree."

He kissed the top of her head. "I promise."

"Thank you."

For a few moments, Oliver just held her, but he was still tense. He couldn't bear the thought that after finally being home and happy with his family he might have screwed things up in less than 24 hours.

"Relax, Oliver." Felicity whispered, and he let out the breath he was holding.

"Do you still love me?" He asked, or more like whined.

She laughed out loud at that. "Of course I still love you." She kissed his jaw. "But sometimes you need to get your head out of your ass. On your own, so I won't have to do it."

It made him smile, and just like that Oliver knew they were going to be fine.

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think I'll be able to post tomorrow, so see you in two days, and happy new year!


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! Here's a new chapter... Enjoy!

Felicity quickly locked the door behind her. For the first time in her life, she was late.

They had been back to work for a month and a half after Oliver's trial, and that morning Ellie wasn't cooperating. She had kept them awake most of the night because she had a slight fever, the flu going around at QC's Daycare.

So Felicity had to carry her to the car and put her in her car seat, buckling her in. Ellie was already half asleep, but running a hand on her forehead Felicity found it cool. She probably just needed to catch up on some sleep now, which she was going to do at QC, having no one to leave her at home with.

Felicity hopped into the small SUV Oliver insisted on buying her, stating that the red Mini she liked was a deathtrap. As she drove, she thought about her schedule for the day that was full of meetings, a couple with Oliver too, and knew they were going to be home late that day. Once again she was happy for her choice of wearing comfortable pants and flats instead of a dress, and contacts instead of glasses so she wouldn't play with them during the meetings.

Felicity took a left turn, and a bad feeling made her tense. She didn't know what it was, but something wasn't right. She checked Ellie in the rearview mirror and found her asleep, her chest rising rhythmically with every breath she took.

Something caught her eye though. A car behind them. It was dark grey, no license plate on the front, darkened windows. It wasn't too close to them, but something about it was off.

Felicity was supposed to continue on that road but decided to take a right turn at the last minute, she didn't use the blinker on purpose, but a few seconds later the car was behind them again. Maybe she was being paranoid and the person driving really needed to go that way, so she took another right turn, and then again, going in a circle. The car followed her every time.

With a frown, she grabbed her Bluetooth earpiece, to drive safely and not wake up Ellie, pressing the button for the speed dial. He picked up at the second ring.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Oliver asked. "I've been waiting for you in the lobby for half an hour."

"I got out late, Ellie was being fussy and-"

"Is she okay? The fever got worse?" He asked her worriedly.

"No, she's okay now. The fever is actually better..." She took a left turn. The car right behind her.

"Felicity? Are you sure everything's okay? You sound weird." His voice strained, and she knew he was moments away from bolting out of the building.

"I... I’m not sure, it's... There's a car behind me, I'm starting to think it's following me."

Felicity heard him moving on the other side of the line, no doubt going to his own car. She wanted to tell him not to worry, to stay there that it was probably nothing, but she had called him for this exact reason. Because she was worried.

"Felicity, I need you to listen to me, carefully." Oliver's voice was soothing, but she knew he was controlling his reaction to keep her calm. "Avoid traffic lights and stop signs. Don't stop the car for any reason. Do you understand?"

She heard two doors slamming shut before an engine started. John was with him in the car.

"Yeah, I'm already doing that." Unconsciously she pressed on the accelerator, the car going just a little faster. The grey car accelerated too.

"Hey, hey. Don't go fast, don't make them understand you know what's going on. And drive safely." Oliver warned her.

"You’re right, you're right." Felicity went back to her previous speed, and so did the grey car.

"Where are you now?"

"I just passed the intersection to the highway. I'm directed North, on the second main road that leads to QC."

Maybe it wasn't the best idea to drive on a road that at this hour of the day was deserted, except for her and the grey car, but she decided to drive _to_ Oliver instead of _away_ from him.

"Okay, good, Felicity. It's pretty close, we'll be there shortly." Oliver reassured her in her ear. "When we do, you'll speed up a little, John will get our car between you and the one following, then we'll both stop, and I'll be there to protect you. Okay?"

"Yes, I got it." Her voice trembled, and she gulped when the car inched closer.

"How is Ellie? Is she scared?"

Felicity glanced at her in the mirror. "She's still sleeping. Doesn't know what's going on."

"Okay." Oliver took a deep breath. "How are you feeling?"

"Nervous. Scared. Downright terrified." She said truthfully, no reason to deny what he could hear in her trembling voice.

"You're doing great, honey. Just focus on the road, try to stay calm and know that we're on our way. You'll be able to see us in just a minute."

"Okay."

Felicity looked in the rearview again, just when the car took a right turn on a secondary road.

"They... They're gone." She told Oliver.

"What do you mean they're gone?"

"They took a secondary road. They're not behind me anymore." Her voice shook, unsure if she should feel safe or not.

"Hey, I can see your car, we are just a few miles ahead of you." Oliver announced.

Felicity squinted her eyes and sighed when she spotted their car in front of her. The grey car still nowhere in sight. "What should I do?"

A movement to her right caught her attention. Thick trees hid the point where the secondary road intersected with hers again, making it impossible to see it until the very last moment.

The grey car slammed at full speed against hers.

The fraction of a second before the collision, Felicity tried in vain to reach behind to Ellie, Oliver's yell deafening in her ear.

The airbag deployed at the impact, hitting her straight in the face and keeping her against the headrest. The car was pushed to the side of the road, and the moment the wheels hit the grass the car started to roll over several times, windows breaking around her. Felicity heard screaming, but she wasn't sure if it was her or Ellie.

Then the car stopped, upside down, and silence followed.

Slowly Felicity opened her eyes that at some point had closed on their own. She was disoriented. In front of her, she saw fine smoke coming from the dashboard. Warm liquid ran on her forehead, drops of blood falling on her hands where her fingers grazed the roof of the car as gravity caused her arms to fall limply toward the ground, the seatbelt keeping her in place. The same seatbelt that was digging into her stomach and her throat, making it hard to breathe.

A second later, Felicity realized she wasn't breathing at all.

With a jolt, her hands went to the seatbelt, trying to free her airway but it wasn't budging, the weight of her body forcing her neck to press against the belt. Shaking, she fumbled for the release button, but after pushing it repeatedly nothing changed. It was stuck.

Panic hit her.

Ellie was crying and screaming behind her. Felicity wanted to reach for her, make sure she was fine, and get her out of there, but the damn thing prevented her from doing anything.

Tears collected in her eyes.

In the distance, she heard yells and heavy feet hitting fast the grass. A soft but frantic "Hey" from behind distracted her, making her relax as black spots danced in front of her eyes, her arms going limp once again against the roof. She was losing consciousness.

A call of her name.

More heavy steps.

Hands touching her face and shoulders.

A faint click.

A curse.

The seatbelt dug into her even more, strangled noises coming from the back of her throat as she fought against the pressure before her chest was pushed against the seat. The pressure on her neck disappeared but her body wasn't responding. Gentle slaps hit her cheek, her name repeated over and over.

"Breathe, Felicity!"

She tried, she really tried, but something was wrong with her throat. Two fingers pressed near her pulse point. Her eyes opened as she inhaled sharply, coughing when smoke filled her lungs. After a few seconds, she realized Oliver had moved the seatbelt so it rested against her arm, right under her shoulder and away from her neck.

He was kneeling next to her, half in the car and half out, his white shirt stained with blood on his right rolled up sleeve. He probably cut his arm with the broken glass.

Going back to her senses, Felicity focused on more important things than a stained shirt.

"El- Ellie." She rasped. "Get her. Now."

Her eyes found his. He was scared and in panic, just like her, but Felicity silently pleaded with him to get their daughter out of the car first.

Oliver's eyes darted to the backseat. "I'll get her, but you breathe. Don't stop. Okay?" Felicity nodded. "I'll be back in a minute."

His hand quickly caressed her cheek, before he was on his feet. Ellie's screams were making her head hurt, or maybe it was all the blood flowing there.

"I'm here, baby." Oliver tried to reassure Ellie when he reached her. "I've got you."

She heard the buckles of the car seat releasing without a problem.

"Daddy... hurts."

Felicity's chest ached at her daughter's pained words. She wanted to turn around but didn't want to risk and move the seatbelt.

"What hurts?"

"My- my arm." Ellie said between hiccups. She heard Oliver's intake of breath and knew it wasn't good.

"Oliver?"

"We'll take care of it, I promise. It's going to be okay, sweetheart."

Felicity watched from the broken passenger window as he quickly carried Ellie several feet away from the car, afraid like her that it might explode at any moment. Oliver made Ellie sit on the grass as he kneeled in front of her, her right arm cradled in her lap. His hands cupped her face, red from crying, two small cuts bleeding on her right cheek. Felicity faintly heard his words.

"I need you to stay here, Ellie, and don't come near the car." He told her firmly.

"Don't leave me, daddy." She sobbed.

"I have to get mommy who is still in the car. It won't take long, then I'll be back to you. I promise." After a moment of hesitation, Ellie slightly nodded. Oliver kissed the top of her head before standing and running back to the car.

Felicity felt liquid run down her calves, staining her pants, before dripping from the steering wheel and to the roof. She tentatively touched it, just when Oliver fell to his knees next to her, crawling back into the car.

"Ellie?" Felicity immediately asked.

"I think her arm is broken."

"Oh, god."

"She'll be fine." He tried to reassure her.

Felicity sighed. "Oliver, there's... There's gasoline."

"I know." He told her in a choked voice.

He had a small knife in his right hand, he grabbed the seatbelt with his left and started cutting. "Put your hands on the roof. When the belt is cut, try to keep yourself from falling head first." He instructed.

"I don't think I have enough strength at the moment." But she did as he said anyway, her arms shaking, her shiny ring staring back at her.

The metal of the car started to make a cringy noise, the smell of burned plastic hit her nostrils as more smoke filled the car, making them cough and irritating their eyes.

"Oliver, you have to go." Felicity cried as she saw small flames coming from the hood of the car.

"No." He said firmly, his hand working fast.

Felicity looked out of the window. Ellie was standing, looking toward the road where a car just stopped. John opened the door and ran to Ellie, carefully picking her up before surveying the damaged car from his spot.

His eyes found hers. She knew he wanted to help her but Ellie in his arms prevented him from coming any closer. Felicity shook her head for good measure, silently telling him to stay there and keep Ellie safe.

The car jolted, causing her heart to skip a beat.

"Oliver."

"I'm almost done." His voice shook.

"Go." Felicity whispered, but he heard it.

"I'm not-" A small popping sound came from near her legs, and her pants drenched with gasoline, part of Oliver's shirt too. Felicity roughly shoved his shoulder to push him out of the car.

" _Go!_ " She yelled making him flinch, though he didn't stop cutting. "Think about Ellie! She can't live without both of her parents!"

"I _am_ thinking about Ellie." His focus on the belt. "I am thinking about you. And I am thinking about our baby." Oliver growled. "I can't leave the two of you in here without even trying to-"

"You tried," she insisted, "you tried and it didn't work. It's not your fault. Now go!"

It pained her that sacrificing herself would mean sacrificing their unborn child, but Felicity couldn't let him risk his life too and leaving Ellie completely alone.

Tears were running down Oliver's face as he shook his head, coughing through the smoke. "Stop telling me to leave, I'm not going!"

He dropped the knife and forcefully yanked the seatbelt, once, twice. When it didn't budge, Felicity was about to yell at him again, instead, she felt herself falling. With his quick reflexes, Oliver caught her by the shoulders before she hit her head. His arms went under her armpits, her hands gripped tightly his forearms as he eased her out on the grass.

Oliver quickly wrapped one arm around her back, the other went under her knees and he stood with Felicity in his arms, running away as fast as he could. They saw Ellie clinging to John with her good arm as he waited for them near the car.

“Come on, fast!” He yelled at them.

They made it a few more feet before a violent explosion threw them to the ground, a wave of heat surrounding them. Oliver ended on top of her, shielding her body from flying pieces of metal.

After a few moments, he leaned back to check on her. He cursed and Felicity watched him hastily patting his hands over her leg where a small flame was burning her pants, having caught on fire with all the gasoline that had leaked on her. He was able to put the fire out in a matter of seconds before it burned her skin.

"Where are you hurt?" Oliver asked, his voice raw. Black soot covered his face and arms.

"I... I'm not, I don't think I'm hurt." She stuttered.

His hands ran over her body, looking for injuries. Oliver pulled up her shirt and he froze.

"What?" Felicity raised her head from the ground and looked.

The seatbelt had left a nasty bruise all around her stomach. On her side, something caught in her shirt. Oliver carefully moved it to reveal a small piece of metal sticking out from her skin. Without thinking she grabbed it.

"No!" Oliver's hands tried to prevent her from pulling it out but she was faster than him. Only after, she realized it could have made her bleed profusely. Luckily, it wasn't deep, only a few drops of blood leaking out of the wound.

A second later it hit her. A few inches to the front and their baby would have had been in trouble. Or maybe it was going to be a problem anyway. The wound was low enough to affect him or her, just above her hip, and the bruise from the seatbelt didn't look good either.

"Felicity." Oliver's trembling hands were covering her cheeks. "Look at me." Her eyes found his. "It's going to be okay." His voice wasn't convincing though, terrified as it was.

"Oliver!" John called from the car. "Get her here, we're taking them to the hospital. We can't wait for the ambulance to arrive."

He looked at her again. "I'm going to pick you up. If something hurts you tell me."

Felicity nodded, her arms went around his neck as she held on for dear life, his hot breath hitting her forehead with every exhale. When they reached the car, he gently put her on the backseat. Ellie next to her started to cry again.

"Mommy."

"Come here, baby." She opened her arms and Ellie gingerly moved to sit on her lap, her right arm kept close to her body. Felicity's arms wrapped around her tiny frame, kissing her head as John sped to the hospital.

With gentle hands, Felicity took hold of Ellie's arm. It was swollen and starting to bruise, probably broken as Oliver said.

"It hurts, mommy." Ellie whimpered.

Felicity's chest ached, and not because of her own injuries. "We're going to the hospital to get it checked out, honey." She kissed her head again. "It will stop to hurt very soon, I promise."

Next to her, Oliver exhaled as he ran his hands over his face.

"Did you see who it was?" Oliver asked at John.

"No. But the car had a license plate on the back. I’ve already informed Lance, they're looking for it."

At Ellie's next whimper of pain, Felicity's hand went to rest on his leg, catching his attention.

He put his left arm around her shoulders, his right hand to the back of Ellie's head.

"It will be okay."

She really hoped he was right.

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise I'll update tomorrow, I won't leave you hanging like that!


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all of you amazing people who are still following this story! Your comments are the best!
> 
> Anyway, here's the chapter... Enjoy!

Oliver's hands never stopped shaking.

It had been almost an hour since they took Ellie and Felicity away from him. He wanted to go with both of them, but doctors needed to check them out first, so he was left waiting in the hallway.

Oliver hated to wait, he had paced the hallway so many times that he lost count. Now, Oliver sat on a chair watching as John talked on the phone a few feet away from him, Captain Lance on the other side. His expression wasn't very promising. When he ended the call, John went back to sit next to him.

"What did he say?"

John sighed. "The car was stolen. Ten minutes ago they found it abandoned in the Glades. They're looking for fingerprints and DNA and anything else important, but... for now it seems clean."

Oliver took his head into his hands, he suspected as much. Whoever they were, they were good.

"What are you thinking about, man?" John asked. "You can't possibly be blaming yourself for this."

"I should have stayed at home with them." He growled. "I should have waited for them, drove that car myself like I do _every day_. But the board wanted me at the office at an indecent hour this morning, just to cancel the meeting when-"

Oliver froze.

"Wait," he heard John say, "do you think they planned this? That someone wanted you away from that car, so they'd hurt Felicity and Ellie?"

"It's the only explanation I have for the canceled meeting and Jerry not knowing about it at all." Oliver rolled his eyes at himself. "I should have known better."

"Oliver, stop. This isn't your fault, you couldn't possibly know what was going to happen."

Before he could retort, a doctor walked out of the doors where Felicity and Ellie had been taken.

"Mr. Queen?" She asked.

He immediately stood. "Yes, it's me. How are Felicity and Ellie?"

"I'm afraid I don't know anything about Felicity's conditions. I am here to tell you about Ellie."

"Is she okay?" Oliver's anxiety grew the more he waited for an answer.

"Yes. If you want to follow me I can take you to her."

He looked back at John, who was already nodding. "If there's news on Felicity I'll call you immediately."

Oliver nodded in thanks at his friend and followed the woman.

"You said Ellie is okay." Oliver prompted.

"She is. Her arm is broken, so we had to put a cast on it. She'll have to keep it for four weeks, then a doctor will need to check if the bone is healing properly." She informed him.

"What if it's not healing properly?" He frowned.

"Then she'll need a surgery, but I highly doubt it. The fracture was pretty clean."

They stopped in front of a door, the doctor opened it, and Oliver saw Ellie sitting on the bed with her back to him, a nurse cleaning the cuts on her cheek.

"It stings." Ellie protested, trying to move her face away from him.

"I know, and I'm sorry." He encouragingly smiled at her. "Just one more swipe and it's done, I promise."

Oliver let the young man do his job before showing himself to Ellie. He knew that as soon as she saw him, she wasn't going to let go of him for a long time. Or maybe it was him who wasn't going to let go once she was in his arms.

"There." The nurse announced. "I'm all done, and you were really brave." He rolled his chair away, disposing of the gloves.

That was his cue.

With long and fast steps, Oliver went to stand in front of his daughter, a soft smile on his face. "Hey, baby girl."

Ellie smiled up at him, reaching with her left arm to him. "Daddy."

Oliver carefully picked her up, one hand going to cradle the back of her head before he placed a kiss on the top, ignoring the smell of smoke when it hit his nose.

"Are you okay, sweetheart? Does your arm hurt?" She shook her head against his shoulder, and Oliver could feel her slowly relaxing in his arms.

"Before putting the cast, we gave her a numbing solution." The woman that brought him there told him. He hadn't even realized she was still there, writing down on a piece of paper. "I'm prescribing you some painkillers to give her for when the effect will pass."

_And it will hurt_ , his mind supplied.

"Thank you, doctor. That was her only injury, right? Nothing else-"

"Yes, we checked and asked her how she felt and what hurt. Only her arm was the problem, and the small cuts on her cheek. We also checked for smoke inhalation, but she doesn't suffer from it."

"Daddy?" Oliver looked down at Ellie. "Where is mommy?"

"A doctor is visiting her." _And they still haven't told me how she is doing._

"The lady asked me what color I wanted for the cast." She moved part of the sling to show him her bright pink cast. "This made me think of mommy."

It made him smile, and he couldn't stop himself from giving her a few more kisses. "I think she will like your choice."

They exchanged a few smiles, then his phone beeped, interrupting their moment. With one arm he rearranged Ellie to take it out of his pocket, hoping it was John telling him he had news on Felicity.

His heart sunk a bit when it wasn't him.

"It's your aunt Thea. She's here, she brought clean clothes for us."

“Yes, I need them. These are dirty." Ellie said with a grimace.

"Yeah, mine too." Oliver looked at the doctor again. "Can we go?"

"Of course." She said, giving him the paper. "Here's the prescription for Ellie's painkillers. Everything you need to know is on that."

"Thank you, doctor." He looked down at Ellie. "Let's go get changed."

She nodded against his shoulder, her tiny hand gripping his shirt as Oliver started to walk slowly, trying not to jostle her too much.

Her weight in his arms was comforting, a reminder that she was there, and that she was going to be okay.

They arrived back to the hallway he had started to hate. John was updating Thea and Roy on what happened and as soon as they saw him with his daughter, Thea approached them.

"Hey, are you guys okay?" She asked with a frown, concern clear on her face.

"Yes, auntie Thea." Ellie reassured her with a small smile.

"She'll have to keep the cast for a month, but it will be back to normal soon, right honey?" Oliver softly smiled at her, and she nodded enthusiastically. He looked at John. "Any news on Felicity?"

_And our baby._

His friend shook his head. "No one came out of that door other than you."

Oliver had hoped for something, even if John hadn't texted him as he promised to do.

"Daddy, can I change my clothes now? They stink." Ellie wrinkled her nose.

Thea grabbed a bag from a chair. "Here. There's a change for Felicity too."

He reached for the bag. "Thank you, Speedy."

Oliver turned to leave but stopped mid-stride, suddenly unsure. He looked at Ellie in his arms, and she stared back at him in question.

"Do you want auntie Thea to help you get changed? I can wait outside-"

" _No!_ " Her frightened eyes and desperate plea hit him right in the chest as Ellie used all the strength she had to hold onto his shoulder. "Don't leave me again, daddy." Her lower lip trembled. "Please."

Oliver leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Okay, baby girl. I won't leave you."

She hid her face in his neck where he felt warm tears run down his collarbone. His heart ached, and during the walk to the bathroom he did his best to reassure her and make her feel safe again.

He went inside and locked the door, sat Ellie near the sink and the bag on the floor.

"I need to move your arm, Ellie. If I do something that hurts you tell me, okay?"

"Okay."

Oliver removed the sling from around her neck before taking her arm out of it. With gentle fingers, he helped her remove her shirt. He noticed two small bruises covered her shoulders, right where the belts of her car seat must have kept her in place. His fingers gently grazed them.

"Do these hurt?"

Ellie shook her head. "No, daddy."

He gave her a small smile. "Good."

Except it wasn't. It wasn't good that she had been hurt. He was her father, he was supposed to keep her safe. He failed.

With a shaky breath, he grabbed some paper towels and put them under the water. He started to clean her face and neck, careful to the small cuts.

"Daddy... why was the car upside down, and me and mommy got hurt so much?" Ellie asked him with a frown. He suddenly remembered Felicity told him that Ellie was asleep while she drove.

"You... you had an accident, sweetheart." He told her gently.

Her frown deepened. "So mommy fell asleep?"

"What- no. No, she wasn't asleep, why do you think that?" He was confused.

"My friend Kate at the Daycare, her mom fell asleep while she was driving and had an accident. She had to stay at the hospital for some time."

"Oh, baby, no... I mean, yes they also happen because of that, but... Mommy didn't fall asleep. She was very awake, I can assure you that." He told her. Oliver really didn't want to tell her about the other car following and hitting them. She didn't need to be more scared than she already was.

"But why us?" Ellie insisted.

"Sometimes... accidents just happen without a reason."

He wasn't sure how to continue without worrying her, but Ellie seemed satisfied with his answer so he left it at that, focusing on cleaning her good arm. When that was done, Oliver went to remove her left shoe, the right somehow lost in the accident leaving her with a bare foot. He picked her up and made her stand on the counter.

"Keep your hand on my shoulder so you don't fall."

Ellie did as instructed, and Oliver helped her out of her pants and cleaned her legs and feet. When he was done, she started to shiver.

"It's cold, daddy."

He quickly grabbed her clothes from the bag. "We're all done, sweetie."

Oliver started to dress her and the action reminded him of when he used to change her in the past. For months now, she wanted to do it herself, because she was finally 'a grown up' like them and didn't need his or Felicity's help. Oliver knew that both he and Felicity already missed such a simple action that had become a routine over the years.

Now he could be helpful again.

As she wore a shirt, pants and thick socks, Oliver struggled to slip the cast in the sleeve of Ellie's sweater. Afraid of hurting her, he gave up, inspecting the bag one more time. He pulled out Felicity's hoodie and helped her with it. If Felicity needed something he was going to give her his own hoodie, the one he knew she enjoyed to wear.

He pulled the zip all the way up and Ellie started to giggle.

"I feel silly."

It was way too long to be a hoodie on her small body. "It almost looks like a dress." He reassured her with a smile. He helped her to put the sling back on her arm.

"I'm still silly."

"No, you're beautiful. Like your mommy." Oliver went to hug her, but she put her hand on his chest pushing him away.

"Your clothes are still dirty, daddy."

"You're right."

Oliver took a step away but hesitated to take off his clothes in front of her. Chase's insinuations still gave him doubts on the way he acted around Ellie, no matter how untrue his words were, or how many times Felicity reassured him.

"Do you need help, daddy? I can call auntie Thea." Ellie suggested with a soft smile.

"No, definitely not auntie Thea." He told her with a chuckle.

Seeing her relaxed posture, Oliver shrugged out of his shirt before thinking about it again. With the corner of his eye, he kept looking at Ellie's face, but she didn't react as he quickly changed.

The bruises from his prison fight had completely faded away, and she didn't look at the scars that littered his chest -they never scared her, and she never commented on them, thinking they were just part of him.- No, Ellie was smiling as she looked at his hair, which had grown back to its usual length, like she wanted them.

After weeks, Oliver finally realized that his fears were unfounded. Ellie wasn't scared of him, she didn't see him as a monster or a threat. She just saw him as her daddy, who loved her and took care of her.

Blinking back tears, Oliver smiled at her. "There. All cleaned up."

Ellie reached out her arm. "Now we can hug."

His smile growing, Oliver picked her up from the counter and held her close.

"Let's go see if we can visit mommy now." He told her with a kiss on her forehead.

→

Three more hours and Oliver was still waiting.

He was pacing the hallway once again, Ellie asleep in his arms, his thoughts darker than ever. Every single time he had asked a nurse if they knew something the answer was always the same.

_A doctor will come to you when they have news._

John and Thea were still there, but he had sent them to the cafeteria when Ellie fell asleep, wanting to stay alone with her.

Taking care of his daughter gave him an opportunity to keep his mind occupied for a while, still thinking about Felicity and the baby, but making him more hopeful of seeing them soon.

That didn't happen though.

Ellie sighed against his neck, making him think about how they all had been in a hospital bed at least once since their lives collided.

Felicity when Cooper attacked her, then Isabel poisoned Ellie, and then him after stopping Cooper once and for all. Their child wasn't even born yet and was already in a hospital.

His fears grew with each step he took.

Was something so wrong that they had to take them into surgery? If so, why the doctors still hadn't informed him?

Oliver felt anger. Anger at the doctors who left him out of the loop, anger at whoever caused the accident. Anger at himself for not protecting his family.

Then anger became terror.

What if Felicity was more injured than he first thought? What if when the car exploded and they fell to the ground it caused more damage? Did he crush her? Did he make it worse?

His legs shook.

They didn't even tell Ellie about the baby yet, no one except John and themselves knew. They decided to keep it a secret until the end of the first trimester because the risk of miscarriage was still high. They just reached the 12 weeks mark and they were going to tell her soon, but... What if Felicity just lost the baby?

Oliver turned on his heels and strode to the nurse station. The two girls there glanced at each other, already knowing what he was going to ask. When he was ten feet away from them, one started to talk.

"Mr. Queen, we still don't know-"

"Don't give me that." He half whispered, trying not to wake up Ellie. "I have waited for over four hours, _four hours_. Patients entered that door and left in less than one, I'm not saying my fiancée should have priority or something, but I would like an explanation as to why I still don't know how she is." Oliver told them.

"Mr. Queen," the other nurse stood, "we don't have access to that kind of information. I know you're worried about your girlfriend-"

"You have no idea of how I feel." He growled. "You don't know how it is to feel useless as your fiancée, your _pregnant fiancée_ , is behind those doors, hurt, alone, and probably terrified after being in a car accident with her daughter. A _planned_ car accident." Oliver glared at them. "You have no idea how it feels to hear your daughter ask to see her mother every ten minutes and tell her that she can't see her yet. For. Three. Hours. Straight."

He took a steadying breath when his hands started to shake, Ellie still asleep in his arms, unaware of his turmoil.

"I demand to know what's going on." His voice low and threatening. “ _Now_.”

The nurses gulped and glanced at each other.

"I'll go see if I can get a doctor to give you some news." One said, before disappearing behind the damned doors.

Sighing, he knew he needed to calm down, Oliver couldn't face someone with anger running through his veins. So he focused on his daughter. Her weight in his arms, her warm body against his chest, her soft breaths on his neck, her steady heartbeat under the hand he had on her back.

As always, she was able to calm him down, the same way Felicity did. Just being near him.

"Mr. Queen?"

Oliver opened his eyes and turned around. A doctor was standing in front of him.

"I've been told you're waiting for news on Felicity Smoak."

"Yes, yes, she's my fiancée. And she's pregnant. How is she?" His voice shook. Finally, he was going to know something.

"I didn't treat her, my colleague, Dr. Morrison, he's the one who took care of her. He was supposed to inform you of her conditions, but I just found out he had another emergency. However, I looked at Miss Smoak's medical chart." The doctor looked away for a second before staring at him straight in the eyes.

Oliver's heart started to beat faster.

"Miss Smoak's condition was worse than Dr. Morrison first thought. She received a severe trauma to her abdomen that caused internal bleeding, so they had to take her into surgery. Mr. Queen, I'm so sorry to tell you this, I know they did everything to-"

"No..." Oliver shook his head, tears running down his cheeks. He held Ellie a little closer. "This isn't happening. She- please, tell me they're both fine."

His head was spinning, his darkest thoughts and fears crashing together in his mind, unraveling in front of his eyes as he stared at the doctor.

"Mr. Queen... Felicity Smoak is dead."

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you yell at me: Felicity is _**NOT**_ dead!! I'd never kill my favorite character!
> 
> I'll post soon the next chapter, so you won't have to wait a whole day!


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the second chapter of today. Be sure you read chapter 22 first!
> 
> Enjoy!

"Mr. Queen... Felicity Smoak is dead."

If it wasn't for Ellie asleep in his arms, Oliver was sure he'd be on the floor, passed out. His legs were shaking, his palms sweaty, his breaths short and uneven.

_Felicity Smoak is dead._

The room swam in front of his eyes. The doctor was talking, but Oliver couldn't hear a word he was saying.

_Dead._

His heart ached, a pain so strong it threatened to bring him to his knees. In the distance, he heard voices calling his name, but it was like he was underwater.

_No._

Felicity wasn't dead. She couldn't be. Oliver was sure that if she was, he'd feel it.

"I- I want to see h-her." He stuttered.

A hand touched his shoulder. He looked down and saw his sister with tears in her eyes. "Ollie... I'm not sure if that's a good idea."

"I need to see her. I can't believe she's- I need to see her, then I'll- I'll be convinced that..." He couldn't finish that sentence.

"Mr. Queen, I think the Miss is right." The doctor gently told him. "Right now you're not in the state of mind to-"

"Take me to her." He growled, his voice didn't leave room for argument.

John stepped next to him. "Doctor, I think it's better if you lead the way to Miss Smoak. Mr. Queen won't stop until he sees his fiancée." Neither his friend looked like he believed Felicity was dead.

Oliver was on the verge of hyperventilating, but when the doctor nodded he could take control of his body again.

He looked down at Ellie. She was still fast asleep, unaware of what was going on around her. Oliver kissed the top of her head, before turning to handle her to his sister.

"Can you- If she wakes up... Don't tell her anything. I'll- when I'll be back I..." It seemed like he lost the ability to form a complete sentence, but Thea understood him anyway.

"Of course. Just... Don't do anything stupid, and... We are here for you." Her voice gentle.

Oliver just nodded at her, he ran his hand over Ellie's hair one more time, then turned to his friend.

"We'll be waiting here." John gave him a supporting look, with an encouraging squeeze on his shoulder.

Oliver looked at the doctor. "I'm ready."

As they walked, the man didn't say a word and Oliver was glad about it. He was left with his thoughts though. He briefly wondered what he would do if the doctor was right and... Felicity was gone. Felicity and their baby.

He would be left alone with Ellie. He'd have to take care of her as her only parent. Part of his heart would be gone too, just like them.

When they reached a door, Oliver shook his head. He needed to stay focused and keep his calm. The word stared back at him.

_Morgue._

He took a deep breath and walked in, a shiver ran down his spine as the cold air hit him. In front of him, there was only one metal table, a body on top of it entirely covered with a white sheet.

Oliver took in a ragged breath as he stepped closer.

From the curves of the body, it could have been her. He noticed the sheet was pulled up at the side, showing the person's left hand.

The ring he chose for Felicity stared back at him. Tears filled his eyes.

"Are you sure about this, Mr. Queen?" The doctor checked again.

Oliver swallowed hard and nodded, barely breathing. The man pulled down the sheet, uncovering only the face.

Her blonde hair fell on the table in soft waves, her skin pale, her lips void of color. Her face was relaxed, but her blue eyes were open as if she was staring at the ceiling in thought. She seemed in peace.

Oliver closed his eyes, the action causing the tears to fall down his cheeks.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Queen." He heard the doctor say.

Oliver shook his head. "It's not her." He whispered.

"What?"

He opened his eyes and looked at the woman again. At first glance, someone could easily mistake her for Felicity, with the blonde hair and blue eyes, and her face... she really resembled Felicity, could have been her sister even, but this wasn't her.

"She looks like Felicity, and the ring is the one I gave her, but... That woman is not Felicity."

The doctor grabbed the chart hanging from the table and checked. "This says that the woman is Felicity Megan Smoak, 26. Brought in after a car accident, 12 weeks pregnant." The man frowned.

"Doctor, I can assure you this isn't my Felicity." Oliver said.

He barely noticed the doctor grabbing the phone and yelling at whoever was on the other end of the line. Oliver's focus was on the ring. He made to grab it but stopped, glancing at the woman.

"I'm sorry." He whispered sincerely.

Carefully, he slid the ring off of her cold finger, before covering her again with the sheet.

Oliver closed his eyes and let out a relieved breath.

Well, only in part relieved. Because if Felicity wasn't laying on that table, then where was she?

→

Her head was pounding, her throat sore as if she hadn't spoken in days. Goosebumps were covering her arms at the chill in the room.

Slowly, Felicity blinked open her eyes. She was at home, in her bedroom, the curtains drawn close, the only light in the room coming from the nightstand.

She immediately knew something was off.

When Felicity sat on the bed she swayed on the spot, feeling weak, and the nausea didn't help, so she closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

Her mind was foggy. She tried to focus on the last thing she remembered.

Oliver carried her inside the hospital, gently put her on a stretcher as doctors approached them, John behind them with Ellie. The doctors took Ellie first, sending her to take an x-ray for her arm after being informed of what happened. She disappeared behind the doors with them before Felicity could reassure her that everything was going to be fine.

When the doctors looked at her, Oliver had explained her injuries, but not before repeating over and over that she was pregnant, and that they needed to do everything in their power to make sure her, the baby and Ellie will recover at one hundred percent. Then they wheeled her behind the same doors where they took Ellie. A nurse told her Dr. Morrison was going to visit her in a minute before leaving her alone. After that everything was black.

Felicity let out a frustrated sigh when she couldn't remember anything else, and with measured movements, she stood from the bed. Unsteady on her feet, she used the wall to support herself, slowly making her way to the door.

As she walked, she noticed that the room was way darker than usual, and the picture frames were missing from the walls and nightstands. When she arrived at the door, Felicity saw a digital keypad next to it. Ignoring it for a moment, she gave the door a try but it stayed closed.

Guessing the code to open the door was useless, especially when she couldn't focus on anything at the moment, so Felicity just breathed deeply and looked around.

"Definitely not my room." She mumbled to herself.

Everything was wrong. Well, the room looked almost exactly like her and Oliver's bedroom, but their personal things were missing. The warmth she always felt when she was in the room was definitely not there.

The only explanation she could think about was that someone made a replica of her room, kidnapped her and brought her here.

The questions were who and why?

It didn't make sense.

Strangely enough, Felicity wasn't terrified. Of course, she was scared of being alone in a weird room that seemed so familiar yet completely different, taken there by some psycho who took the time to make it look like hers, but she didn't let the panic take control. She was proud of herself for that.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Felicity decided to check the other door in the room, the one that back at home led to the bathroom. When she opened the door, she found a copy of her bathroom too, except there was no window. With a sigh, she stepped closer to the sink and looked in the mirror. She had a deep cut on her forehead that was still bleeding, dozens of smaller cuts covered her face and arms, probably a consequence of the car windows breaking during the accident. On the left side of her neck, she had a nasty bruise from where the seatbelt almost choked her.

Looking down, she pulled up her shirt. The belt had left a purple line over her stomach, the wound where she got stabbed by a piece of metal had stopped bleeding but it was an angry red. With tears in her eyes, Felicity swallowed hard. She really hoped her baby was okay, she couldn't bear the thought of losing a child.

Felicity took a deep breath before turning on the faucet, which thankfully worked, and washed her face. With a slightly clearer mind, she walked back into the room to investigate more. She walked to the windows and opened the curtains, just to reveal lights behind a panel made of glass. A fake window, like those they put in underground rooms.

With a frown, she looked around more. Above the door, she noticed a camera, the red blinking dot let her know it was currently working.

Someone was watching her, and it made her skin crawl.

Before she could do anything else, Felicity heard steps approach the door. Beeps could be heard on the other side as the person behind it pressed the buttons on the keypad. Six numbers, every number a different sound. She could find out which numbers they were, phones made those sounds when composing a phone number. Next time she needed to stay focused and remember them so she could run away.

She just hoped there will be a next time. But for now, she focused on the person who opened the door. Her eyes widened.

"You?"

"Hi, Felicity."

→

"What do you mean, you have no idea of where she is?" Oliver yelled.

"Sir, I left Miss Smoak in that room." A nurse told him, her hands raised in defense in front of her. "Then Dr. Morrison was supposed to visit her and check that everything was okay."

"And after that? What happened?" He growled.

"We... are not sure about it. They say Dr. Morrison had another emergency, but there's nothing in the records. It doesn't make sense."

Someone took her. It resounded in Oliver's head, on repeat. Someone took her and he had no idea of where she was.

"Do you at least know who that woman is?" He questioned.

"We have one missing patient. Jennifer Dawson, 27. Came here for a car accident two days ago."

 _Car accident._ That was not a coincidence. Before he could say another word, John put a hand on his shoulder.

"Maybe we should call the police."

Oliver nodded, walking away from the nurse. "You're right, Quentin will-"

"No."

Oliver stopped and looked at his friend with a frown. "What? You said-"

"I didn't mean that kind of police. Nothing against Lance, but I'm not sure if this is something for the SCPD, especially after the corruption of a few months ago. I was thinking about ARGUS. I can ask Lyla if she can help us looking for Felicity." His friend suggested. "This way we'll have more resources and fewer questions."

Without wasting time, Oliver nodded. "You're right. Thank you."

"Don't thank me." John looked over Oliver's shoulder. "I'll call Lyla and dig into this, but I think you're needed somewhere else at the moment."

Oliver turned around. Thea was walking toward him with Ellie in her arms.

"Hey. She's waking up." She whispered. "I think it's better if you're the one holding her when she does."

Oliver reached out and took Ellie in his arms. "Thank you, Speedy."

"Yeah..." His sister looked away for a moment before turning her gaze on him again. "Did someone really..." She couldn't end that sentence.

"I don't know. But I'm sure she'd never leave on her own like that." Oliver told her convinced.

"I know."

In his arms, Ellie rubbed her cheek against his shoulder and slowly blinked open her eyes.

"Hey, baby girl." He whispered with a kiss on the crown of her head.

"Hi, daddy." She smiled into his neck, before frowning. "Can I see mommy now?"

Oliver sighed. He was scared, and worried, and had no idea on how to find Felicity. But he couldn't show that to Ellie.

If there was one thing he had learned, was that children shouldn't know when their parents were scared. Because it would scare them even more. And Oliver couldn't let that happen.

He needed to push down his fears, concentrate to find Felicity, and bring her home.

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the next chapter you'll find out who took Felicity and why...
> 
> Side note. I'm planning on posting one-shots of things that happened between this fic and _And She Will Be Loved_. If you're interested in it, you can subscribe to the series.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are with a new chapter...
> 
> Enjoy!

"You?"

"Hi, Felicity." He smiled.

Adrian Chase stood in front of her, the smirk never faded from his face as he closed the door and walked to her. She forced herself not to take a step back, her hands closing in tight fists.

"There's no need for that." He told her. "I won't hurt you."

"I find that hard to believe." Felicity harshly replied, her chin raised high, trying to show she wasn't scared.

Chase chuckled.

"Were you the one who caused the accident?"

"Straight to the point, I see." He hummed. "Well, yes-"

"Why?" Felicity was pissed. He almost killed her, Ellie and the baby, and he didn’t even look fazed by that.

"I wasn’t trying to kill you if that's what you're thinking." Chase shook his head as if that was the most absurd thing she could think of.

"Oh, I know." Felicity retorted. "This room makes it clear that you had a bigger plan than that." He raised his eyebrows, looking impressed.

"This room was..." He looked at the ceiling in thought. "It was a way to make you feel at home, so you wouldn't be scared..."

 _Too late_.

"Is Richard Seldon behind this too? Like with the trial?" She asked him, her eyes hard.

"Seldon?" Adrian chuckled. "No. He’s in his cell at Iron Heights, he has no idea of what is going on outside. No, this… this is all my doing."

Felicity took a deep breath. "I want to know why you caused the accident, risking my life and my daughter's if you had more in mind." Her voice didn't leave room for argument.

"It was a risk I was ready to take... But things went according to plan, in the end. And I was able to bring you here." He said cryptically.

Felicity closed her eyes and sighed. Did she really have to get the words out of his mouth? "And what is that reason?"

"To make Oliver Queen suffer." Chase replied.

After a moment he stepped closer, passed next to her and went to sit on the bed. It took all of her strength to not throw up at the sight of him on the bed, in a room that looked like hers. It was unsettling enough the fact that he knew what her room looked like, but to see him there… it made her feel sick.

"You see... we knew each other years ago." He started to explain, his face hard. "He doesn't remember that, or me, but... I've hated him since the moment we met."

She had a lot of questions, so many things that she needed to know the answers to.

"Why-" Her voice trembled, Felicity cleared her throat and tried again. "Why do you hate him?"

Chase’s eyes became cold all of a sudden. "Because he took my girlfriend from me."

"Took?" She questioned with a frown.

"He _seduced_ her." He replied disgusted.

Felicity scoffed. "You did all of this because your girlfriend preferred him to you?" She shook her head. "This is stupid."

"That is not the only reason." Chase almost yelled. "I... My girlfriend, she..." He stared into her eyes so intently that it made her feel uncomfortable. "You remind me of her."

Felicity tried to understand what he was saying, but nothing made sense to her. "So?" She asked after a moment of hesitation.

He sighed as if he had to explain something to a child. "So... I thought to make him go through what I went through." He shrugged. "I took his girlfriend from him." He smiled. "Sorry... _Fiancée_."

Felicity suddenly looked down at her left hand and found it bare. He took her ring. Blinking back tears, Felicity shook her head, getting back on more important things at the moment. "And you expect me to what? Fall into your arms?"

"Of course not." Chase smiled. "If one day you'll want that, then we could try and see what happens... For now, I just want to show you what kind of man the real Oliver Queen is. And... I also didn't want someone like you to go through what my ex went through."

Felicity swallowed the bile that rose in her throat. She crossed her arms and frowned at him. "You need to be more clear because whatever drug you gave me is confusing me."

"Fair enough. I'll start from the beginning." He took a deep breath and started to talk, never looking away from her. "As I said earlier, Queen seduced my girlfriend over ten years ago. She ran away with him, and he left her three days later. I loved her, more than anything, so when she came back to me I accepted her into my heart again. But no matter what I did, I was not _him_." The disgust in his voice was apparent. "I wasn't _rich_ enough. I wasn't _bad guy_ enough. I wasn't _handsome_ enough. Inevitably, we broke up. Then Queen was presumed dead, I was actually glad to hear about that. He found out that karma is a bitch."

Adrian even chuckled, as if it was a funny story. It made Felicity sick.

"A couple of years later he came home and then... you showed up. The first time I saw a picture of him with you, I saw my girlfriend." He shook his head in wonder as he stared into her eyes. "You are just like her."

A shiver ran down her spine. _What?_

"But you were not her, so... I decided to let it go and live my life. The hate was still there, but I didn't know how to make him pay for ruining my love life." He smiled. "Two years ago, my revenge was offered to me on a silver platter when Richard Seldon contacted me. He was ready to do anything to incriminate Queen for killing his son. It didn't matter that Cooper was the bad man and maybe even deserved it, all he wanted was to gain back some respect after his son's actions. And I was ready to do anything to make Queen suffer, I didn't care if it was for something that had nothing to do with our past."

"So you incriminated him because he pissed you off years ago?" Felicity asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes." He looked proud of himself. "It took me two years to come up with a case, I had to go off the books many times, but after Seldon convinced Parks to make that switchblade disappear, everything became easier. I finally had a solid case of Queen murdering Cooper." Adrian shook his head. "But that wasn't enough."

The more he talked, the more Felicity dreaded his words. He was confessing everything to her, which meant that he was either going to keep her hidden in this room for god knows how long, or... Or he was going to kill her.

Gathering some courage, Felicity guessed his next words. "So you tried to accuse him of abuse."

"Yes." The smug smile on his face showed her he actually enjoyed that. "I knew he never hit you, that's not the kind of guy he is." The smile suddenly disappeared, a glare taking its place. "But it doesn't mean he's a good man. He uses people and then he throws them away like a piece of garbage. I brought you here because I want you to know the real Oliver Queen, the man who doesn't care about anyone but himself. I don't want you to end up like my ex."

This was crazy. "Listen..." Felicity raised her chin and walked closer to Adrian, stopping only two feet away from where he still sat on the bed. "I know Oliver was not boyfriend of the year a long time ago, that he didn't treat people in the best way, but he changed. He's not that person anymore. He loves me and wants to marry me. And he loves our daughter. I am sure of all of this."

Adrian stood from the bed and stepped closer. "Of course you think that. He made you believe his words. But they're far from the truth. And I will show it to you."

Nothing she could say was going to change his mind, of that Felicity was sure of. Shaking her head, she stepped away and looked around. "I still don't understand how you brought me here."

He smiled. "Well... I had something planned for a while now, but a few days ago, I found out that my ex was in the city. Then she had an accident." He chuckled. "I couldn't let this chance slip through my fingers. So I put in motion my plan. Pretending to be a member of the board of QC, I called an emergency meeting early in the morning, and Queen had to leave you back at home. When you left for work, I followed you, then... you know what happened." Adrian smiled.

That sick bastard. He had planned so much more than just the accident.

"The hospital is not the most secure place in the city, apparently, so it was enough to wear a white coat and just pretend to be a doctor to sneak into your room and put you to sleep."

A shiver ran down Felicity's spine at the thought of being unconscious in the hands of a mad man. _Again_.

But something didn't make sense in Adrian's story. "How does your girlfriend having an accident work into this?"

"Ex," he corrected her, "and she... When she slept with Queen, she broke my heart." His eyes were cold as he spoke about her. "I tried to forget about it, but I couldn't. Her betraying my trust hurt deeply, and she needed to pay too."

Felicity stopped breathing. "You caused her accident too?" Her voice trembled.

"No, the accident was just a lucky coincidence." Adrian smiled. "But as I waited for you to show up at the hospital after your accident, I came up with something more... interesting. I switched her medications, the doctors will think of it as a consequence of the accident."

He killed her. He killed his ex, the woman he had loved. Felicity’s head was spinning.

"And, because of your resemblance to her, I thought of switching your charts too."

She took a step back. "What?" Felicity barely whispered.

"According to the medical records, Felicity Smoak died today." Chase walked to her until only inches separated them. "When Queen heard those words... oh, the way he suffered. His face was just… priceless."

For a moment she couldn't breathe. Everything he confessed, every part of his sick plan made her want to throw up. Oliver thought she was dead. Oh, god. Ellie will think that too and-

 _No_.

No, it didn't make sense.

Felicity shook her head. "He will find out the truth. He will see the- the body and-"

"Of course he will see the body." Adrian replied as if it was obvious. "I'm not that stupid to believe he will just accept that. He will find out that's actually my ex. What I wanted... was for him to suffer when the doctors told him you're dead. That moment... is my revenge. That and him not knowing where you are now, of course."

"So you will keep me in here for the rest of my life?" She questioned, afraid of the answer.

"No. I will show you that your Oliver is not the man you think he is. After that, if you will realize I'm right and he doesn't deserve to be loved, you can walk out of here, free to do whatever you want." He went to grab her hand but stopped himself. "If you would like that, we could get to know each other."

Felicity recoiled from him, her hands shaking.

"Don't worry." He tried to reassure her. "I like consensual women, I'm not going to force you to have a relationship with me if you don’t want that. And I'm not doing all of this just because you look like my ex. I saw you, at the hearing, with Child Services, and at the trial... There is something in you that I find... intriguing."

Felicity swallowed hard, ignoring the last thing he just said. "What if I don't believe what you say about Oliver?"

Adrian sighed. "I told you everything I did to get to this point, so... I will have to kill you."

With one final glance at her, Chase stepped towards the door. "Oh," he turned around again, a smile on his face, "I almost forgot. Congratulations for the baby."

Felicity froze. She hadn't said a word about it, not wanting to give him leverage on her, but apparently he already knew. His words felt like a threat, something along the lines of 'if you don't cooperate, I'll make sure to end that life'.

"It was on your chart." He said as an explanation. "You can have it, you know. I'm not a monster like Cooper. Of course, if one day you'll want to have a relationship with me, we'll have to put up the baby for adoption. I won't stay around a little Queen."

His words didn't make her feel any better.

With a smile, he turned around again and stepped in front of the keypad so she couldn't see the numbers he pressed.

But Felicity heard the sounds. Now, she knew the code. She just needed to wait a few minutes before leaving the room, so he wasn't going to see her sneaking out.

As she waited, his words resounded in her head. Maybe he was telling the truth, he wasn't going to hurt the baby, but it didn't mean he wasn't going to hurt her if she didn't do as he said.

What if he did something that endangered the baby?

The thought made her legs shake.

Felicity looked at the keypad. A few more minutes, then she was going to get out of this hell and go back to her family.

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you tomorrow with the next chapter!


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, there! Here's a new chapter... Enjoy!

Eleven minutes.

That was how long she waited. Felicity wasn't sure when he was going to come back and start his lesson on 'The real Oliver Queen,' so with a deep breath to steady herself, she walked to the keypad and pressed the numbers she heard when Adrian left the room.

The red light turned green, and Felicity fought the urge to raise her fist in victory. She couldn't stay there and celebrate, the camera was still recording so Chase will soon find out she escaped.

She needed to run.

When she opened the door, Felicity wasn't surprised to find a dark hallway, bad guys always chose creepy places after all. She quickly walked down the hall, looking around to make sure he wasn't going to jump out of dark corners. It looked like an abandoned building, so it was useless to scream for help, it’d just make it easier for Chase to find her.

Felicity rounded a corner, and then another. She had a feeling of going in circles, the open doors she found on the way only led her to empty rooms, with no windows or furniture. She took a left turn and saw light coming from one of the rooms. Felicity silently made her way there, goosebumps covered her arms in fear of being caught.

The door was slightly open, and she carefully looked inside. He wasn't there, but there were at least ten monitors set on the wall, every screen showing a different camera feed. There was the room she just escaped, the room she was standing in right now, the dark hallways. Felicity stopped breathing when she noticed hidden cameras from the hospital.

On one screen there was a paused video, Oliver in a hallway holding a sleeping Ellie, a doctor in front of him. Her heart clenched at Oliver's devastated face. She didn't need to play the video to know that was the moment he found out she was dead.

With a shake of her head, she focused back on the desk in front of her, where the monitors connected to an old computer. She checked the cameras and didn't see Chase, so she quickly typed on the keyboard. When she found the recordings of the moment he confessed everything to her, Felicity looked around and saw a USB drive, she grabbed it and quickly inserted it in the computer, copying every proof she needed to connect him to Oliver's case, the car accident, her kidnapping and the murder of his ex.

As the computer slowly worked, Felicity noticed a phone on a chair nearby. She grabbed it, just when she heard a door slam down the hall, making her jump.

On the monitors, she saw Adrian appear out of nowhere, headed to 'her bedroom.' He didn't seem to know she escaped. Yet.

She looked at the computer. 14% copied files.

_Damn it._

Keeping an eye on the cameras, she used the phone to text a familiar number.

→

He was pacing Lyla's office at ARGUS.

"Oliver, you need to sit for a moment." John told him.

"How can I do that when a psychopath kidnapped Felicity?" He yelled. "We don't know where she is, if she's hurt or even if she's still alive. How can I just sit and do _nothing_ about it?"

It had been an hour since they found out the doctors believed the dead woman was his Felicity. One hour and the other four he had waited for news, gave the psycho five hours head start.

"You aren't doing 'nothing'." His friend gently countered. "Look at what we found in so little time." He pointed to the table in front of him.

Oliver was barely able to look at the mocking smirk staring back at him on the picture. God, he hated that man.

They started looking into Jennifer Dawson. They gathered information on her job, her hobbies, her family, her friends. They found out she used to date Simon Morrison. The same man who pretended to be Dr. Morrison, the one who supposedly visited Felicity at the hospital and pronounced her dead.

Simon Morrison turned out to be the real name of Adrian Chase. Oliver's blood had run cold at that.

He had noticed the looks the man gave to Felicity during the trial. If then he was bothered by them, now they scared him. Who knew what sick things that man had in mind for her.

A beeping of his phone distracted him. He grabbed it, thinking it was Thea giving him updates on Ellie a few rooms away from him. But it wasn't his sister, it was an unknown number.

_Track this._

Oliver frowned at the screen.

"What is it?" Lyla asked him, suddenly in the room with him and John.

He showed her the phone, his mind going a mile a minute.

"Could this be Felicity?" She wondered.

"Or a trap." Oliver said.

Lyla called one of her agents, and the man quickly walked to them with a laptop in his hands. She told him to track the phone, just when another message showed up.

_Hiding. Chase took me._

Oliver's heart started to beat faster. He wanted to believe it was Felicity, he hoped it was her, but what if Adrian was playing mind games with him? What if he wanted to get him away from ARGUS just to kidnap or hurt Ellie and his sister?

He sent a text back.

_Tell me something only Felicity would know._

Oliver waited with bated breath for an answer. In the meantime, the agent was talking about a jammer disturbing frequencies of the phone, meaning he needed some time to find a location.

He received two quick texts.

_Ellie first birthday. White teddy._

_One year met. Love._

Oliver's heart pounded in his chest as tears filled his eyes.

"Oliver?" He heard John ask worriedly.

"It's Felicity." He confirmed.

She knew it was him who gave Ellie the white teddy bear for her first birthday. And, of course, no one other than the two of them could know that exactly one year after they met they made love for the first time.

"Oliver..." Lyla got his attention. "David says that if we want to find her location sooner we need a phone call."

He nodded and quickly texted her.

_I need you to call me to trace your signal faster._

She sent him another text.

_Can't talk. Chase close._

Before Oliver could reply, his phone started to ring and he immediately accepted the call.

"Hey," he whispered, trying to keep her calm, "it's going to be okay, sweetheart. We're tracing the call." Oliver looked at the man, David, and he nodded as his eyes stayed focused on the computer, his hands typing fast on the keyboard. "We'll find you soon, I'll come and get you home. I promise."

He didn't expect a reply, but he heard her ragged breaths and knew she was barely containing her sobs. It broke his heart.

"I... I know you can't talk, but, just- are you hurt? Did he hurt you?" He held his breath as he waited for something.

Felicity gave him a barely audible "No," and Oliver closed his eyes, sighing in relief.

"Good, that's good. You're being really brave, honey. I need you to know that."

"Ellie?" She whispered, her voice scared.

"She's fine. She keeps asking about you." He tried to reassure her. "But please, Felicity, don't talk now. I don't want you to get caught." Oliver couldn't keep the worry out of his own voice.

"Director Michaels," he heard David, "the jammer must be in the room with her. I can't trace the call if she stays there with the jammer still on."

_Damn it._

→

Felicity heard the words of the man who was working to find her and felt the panic rising. She was already worried about Adrian finding her in that room but knowing that there was a jammer preventing them to find her...

She glanced at the computer and noticed the files were at 97%. As she waited with bated breath for it to finish, she looked around, trying to find the jammer. Oliver was saying something on the other end of the line but she couldn't focus on that. Luckily she found the device, and she disconnected it.

"Done." She whispered into the phone. "Trace it now."

The copy finished and she disconnected the drive, putting it in her pocket, just when she heard a door slam. Felicity looked at the monitors in front of her, Chase just left 'her bedroom', a scowl on his face as he made his way to where she was.

"Frack." She whispered.

"What?" Oliver's worried voice reached her ears. "What happened Felicity?"

"He knows I ran away." Her voice trembled.

She quickly typed on the computer, putting every camera on a loop so he won't be able to find her with those. After she was done, Felicity left the room, silently but quickly.

As she walked the dark hallways, she could feel her heart beating fast against her chest, her harsh breaths too loud in the quiet space, her clothes making noises every time she moved.

The phone was clutched in her hand but far away from her ear, she needed to hear if Chase got close to her. Felicity rounded corner after corner, looking for the door that finally led her outside, but every damned door led her to empty rooms.

_Where the hell was the exit?_

Suddenly she heard Adrian yell. "You think you're being smart?!" Another door slammed. "I don't need cameras to find you! You can't escape this place!"

He slammed one door after the other, making her whimper in fear. Felicity covered her mouth with one hand, her legs shaking as she constantly glanced behind her.

She could hear Oliver saying something on the phone, but she was too scared to listen to him. The panic was quickly taking control of her body.

Felicity froze when she saw a shadow to her left, but at the same time she thought she heard a noise come from the end of the corridor. Silently she took a few steps back, her eyes and ears focused in front of her. She turned around, ready to run, and Adrian was there.

Felicity couldn't help the terrified scream that escaped her lips.

She quickly turned and started to run, but he easily caught her by the middle, his hands roughly held her against him. She felt a prickle in her shoulder.

Her desperate " _No!_ " echoed in the halls.

In just a few seconds, Felicity felt her body relax until her legs couldn't hold her up no more. The phone slipped from her slack fingers and crashed to the floor, but Chase didn't seem to notice that.

He was holding her up, his chest against her back. "We were just going to talk. I wasn't going to hurt you, but you screwed it up." He told her harshly. "So now I need to use a different approach."

"Please don't." She told him.

"You didn't leave me any other choice." He said, sounding almost apologetic.

He picked her up and carried her down the hallway. Whatever he injected her with, let her stay awake as her body completely relaxed. Her heart pounded fast in her chest as tears freely ran down her face.

She hoped Oliver will be able to find her before anything bad happened to her or their baby.

→

" _Felicity!_ " He yelled once again, but it was useless.

He had heard Chase’s words, and they terrified him. Oliver had no idea of what he wanted to talk to her about, but the fact that he was going to follow a different approach... That didn't sound good.

John was standing next to him, a comforting hand on his shoulder. Oliver looked at the IT guy.

"Where is she?" He growled.

"I'll have the exact location in the next two minutes, but for now I can assure you she's somewhere in the middle of the Glades." David told him, never looking away from the screen.

Oliver looked at his friend, his eyes pleading. "John-"

"We're going, _now_." The man grabbed the car keys from the desk.

"I'm calling a team to back us up." Lyla informed him. "David, as soon as you have the exact location you tell me."

"Of course, Director Michaels."

The three of them quickly made their way to the car, Lyla barking orders on the phone. As soon as they were in the car, John pushed the vehicle to its limit, speeding away in the streets.

Oliver's phone was still connected to the one Felicity had used, but no sounds could be heard from the other end of the line.

John's phone rang and Lyla grabbed it, before giving it to Oliver. "This is for you."

Oliver took the phone, quickly glancing at the name and answered. "Speedy? Are you okay? Ellie?"

"We're fine, Ollie. I just wanted to tell you Ellie fell asleep, she was tired. I tried to call you but your phone is not available, is everything okay?" She asked, obviously worried.

Oliver closed his eyes and ran a hand on his face sighing. "We found out Adrian Chase took Felicity. She was able to call me, we're heading to her location as ARGUS is tracing the call."

"Oh my god. Is she okay? Did she run away?" He could hear the fear in his sister's voice.

He didn't want to scare her even more, so he just settled with, "I'm not sure. Speedy, I'll call you back later, okay? We... we're on our way to get her."

"Of course. Stay focused, I'm sure you will find her." Thea told him confidently.

"Thanks." Oliver whispered before hanging up.

He looked out of the window. They weren't close to the Glades, it was at least twenty minutes without traffic, and even if John was driving fast they were still too far away for his liking.

Oliver just hoped they were close enough, fast enough, to find Felicity before something bad happened to her or their baby.

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll post the next chapter in a few hours so you won't have to wait too long!


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the second chapter of the day... be sure to read chapter 25 before continuing!
> 
> Enjoy!

Felicity took deep breaths as tears kept spilling from her eyes.

She felt like a patient in a psychiatric hospital. She was laying on a bed, her hands tied at her sides and her ankles at the end of the bed, some sort of machine over her face, a blinking red light flashed in her eyes as two wires were attached to her temples.

Whatever drug he gave her let her talk and slightly move her fingertips. In an attempt to stay strong she tightened her hands in loose fists.

She glanced at Chase to her left, where he was typing on a computer.

"Time to begin." He declared.

"Please don't." Felicity repeated in a whisper.

Chase stood from his chair and kneeled at her side. "But I have to. This is apparently the only way to make you understand Queen is not a good man." He grabbed some sort of belt next to her head and connected it to the other side, it went over her neck, to keep her even more still -as if she could move,- and it reminded her too much of the seatbelt almost choking her after the accident.

"What the hell did you inject me with?" Felicity asked, her eyes hard on him.

"A paralyzing agent, it just relaxes your muscles. It lasts a few hours and doesn't have collateral effects." He explained as he stood and took position behind the computer again. "I won't take any chance this time. You won't leave this place until you've heard what I have to say."

"And what do you have to say?" Angry tears rolled down her face.

He ignored her question as he typed. "Someone I know runs... tests, with this machine. He works in prison, uses this to correct violent inmates."

"And what does that thing do exactly?" Felicity questioned, looking at the machine.

"It's a new form of electrical therapy, it targets area of memory in the brain, the places where our greatest fears and such are held. It has been used to reform stubborn inmates in prison. I'm going to use it to make you understand what kind of man Queen is."

_Electrical therapy._

He was going to shock her. She took in a ragged breath as she tried to make sense of what he was saying. "You want to brainwash me?"

Chase hummed. "Not really. I just need to make sure you'll understand this."

"Look, whatever you want to say... just say it. You don't have to use violence. I’ll listen." Felicity whispered.

He seemed to think about it. Just when she thought he was going to ignore her words, Chase rolled his chair next to her and sat down, clasping his hands in his lap.

"Fair enough." He looked at the ceiling in thought. "So... As I said, Queen seduced my girlfriend, but she wasn't the only one. He did this with many others, and at the time he had a girlfriend. He cheated on her, on multiple occasions, even with her own sister, but he acted like it was not a big deal if he dated others at the same time." Chase shook his head. "He uses girls and when he gets tired of them, he jumps to the next victim, not caring about the feelings of those he leaves behind. He doesn't care about anyone but himself, he's the most selfish person you could ever meet."

Felicity closed her eyes. Oliver had talked to her about that time of his past, told her many times that he was still ashamed of his actions, but she knew that the island changed him. It made him open his eyes, made him grow. He was not that young, selfish, careless boy anymore, and he wasn't using her. Of that she was sure. She couldn't say that to Chase, though.

So swallowing down the bile in her throat, Felicity looked at him. "He always did that?"

Chase's expression was one of relief, that she believed him. "Yes. He even slept with his ex when he knew his best friend loved her and had started a relationship with her. He didn't give a damn about the feelings of the people he supposedly 'cared' about."

Tommy and Laurel. One of the things Oliver was most ashamed about. She knew he still felt guilty about it.

"We can both make him pay." He continued. "Maybe by having a relationship. I'd have my revenge, getting his girlfriend from him, and you'd make him realize he can't use girls just to dump them whenever he's tired of them." Chase's eyes were wide and crazy. "Of course that would be if he did care about someone other than himself." He mumbled, mostly to himself.

Felicity's head was spinning. "Wouldn't that undermine what you're trying to do?" He frowned at her, and she wondered if she just showed her game. "I mean, you'd be doing the same thing he did to you, making you look a little hypocrite. No offense." She was quick to add.

He shook his head. "No, it would be different. You'd know my plan, and I wouldn't use you or play with your feelings."

Except he was already using her. Not in the same way they were talking about, but he was still using her to make Oliver suffer.

Chase suddenly leaned closer to her, stopping only inches away from her face. "So, tell me. There must be something that Queen did in the last four years that made you feel used."

He looked at her expectantly, and Felicity wanted to tell him something, a lie, but she wasn't a good liar, he'd see right through it. So with her heart pounding in her chest, Felicity raised her chin as much as she could.

"I know what he did in the past. He... He confessed it to me before we even started a relationship. I knew it and I accepted it. I accepted _him_ because he never did a single thing to make me feel used. He's always been caring with me and with our daughter."

Chase shook his head. "No, that's what he wants you to believe. He used you just weeks ago, at his trial. He used the love you feel for him to get a not guilty verdict. And when your testimony didn't work, he used your computer skills to make him a free man."

This was getting ridiculous.

"Listen... If there is one person that _never_ forced me to do something I didn’t want to do, it’s Oliver. I did all of those things on my own because I wanted to help him, because he _deserved_ to be free. He didn't even know about them until he saw the videos. Oliver is not a bad man."

"But he is." Chase insisted, getting agitated. "Did you know he killed on that island of his?" He taunted her. "Then he went to Hong Kong and Russia. Did he tell you about the deplorable things he did when he was there? Because I discovered some interesting things…"

"He did tell me about them." She told him calmly. "I know everything."

_And it pains me that he had suffered so much._

Chase leaned closer, a frown on his face. "And you're still with him? You still 'accept him', as you say?"

Felicity should lie to him, play along to his game. But she couldn't do it. "Yes."

His frown deepened. "Knowing all of that... You love him?"

"Yes." She replied without hesitation. "Because he did what he had to do in order to survive. And I know he loves me. He's not using me. He never did."

Chase shot up from his chair and went to the computer.

"Wait. You don't have to do that." She pleaded in an attempt to make him stall, at least until Oliver and ARGUS found her.

"No." He shook his head, typing on the keyboard. "This isn't working. Now we do it my way."

Before she could retort, her body shook. Felicity felt electricity run from her head to her chest and arms, ending in her legs, the red light flashing in her eyes disoriented her. It wasn't painful, more like an uncomfortable feeling. It felt like minutes before Chase stopped, but it was probably only a few seconds.

"That man has done nothing good for you. He ruined your life. Your daughter's too. And as long as you will let him in your lives, he will always use you." Chase's words were harsh, no regret of using this kind of treatment on her.

"Please, don't do that again." She choked out in fear. Fear that he was going to hurt her baby.

"I won't stop until you will understand that he only brings pain in people's lives."

"How- how is- can you explain how he does that?" She asked, trying to make him stall. "I… I’m not sure I understand that with... I need you to be more clear."

Chase stared deep into her eyes, probably trying to understand if she was playing him.

"I’ll tell you one more time."

He moved away from the computer and she took a relieved breath.

→

The car didn't even stop, Oliver was out and running to the building. It was an abandoned hospital in the Glades, no activity in the neighborhood, meaning there was no chance of someone seeing anything.

John and Lyla were behind him, an ARGUS team was a couple of minutes away. With trained guns, they silently entered the place and started their search. The rooms were empty, the light coming through the windows gave the place an eerie look.

It looked like no one had been there for a long time.

With every room they checked, Oliver's worry grew more and more. The place was quiet, and there was no sign of Felicity or Chase.

On the comms, David gave them instructions. "The phone is right in front of you." Oliver slowed down his quick steps. "Six feet."

Oliver frowned. "There is no phone here."

"That's impossible." David countered. "The call is still active, and the signal is clear. You are six feet away from it."

Oliver looked helplessly at John. There was no phone. Through the comms, they heard the other agents clear the other rooms. No one was in the building.

Panic was rising in his chest. He closed his eyes and all he could see was Ellie's scared face as she asked him where was her mommy. Fighting back tears, Oliver opened his eyes. He needed to find her. _Immediately_.

"Okay." He started. "David, are you sure we're six feet away?"

"Yes, one hundred percent sure." He confirmed.

Oliver looked around the room. Empty. "The team upstairs found anything?" He asked Lyla, staring at the ceiling.

"Negative. No one and nothing. Not even the phone."

"So they’re not upstairs, and they’re not here." Oliver glanced at the floor. "Underground." He whispered, mostly to himself.

No one would see or hear them if they were underground.

John and Lyla barked orders on the comms, agents ran around the building as Oliver used his flashlight to search for a hatch, an opening, a vent, anything.

His hands shook when in one of the rooms he found some kind of door hidden in the floor.

"Over here!" He yelled as he looked for a way to open it.

Others joined him and an agent loudly announced there was a button hidden under the only desk in the room. He pressed it and the hatch opened a crack. Oliver and John opened it all the way and Oliver jumped down, ignoring Lyla's calls to be careful. With his gun trained, he didn't wait for the others, Oliver started to open the doors, one by one, looking for Felicity.

As he took a left turn he found a phone on the floor. They were close. He continued his search and when he opened the next door Oliver froze.

It looked exactly like his and Felicity's bedroom. He was about to go in and check it out, but he heard a low whimper down the hall.

_Felicity._

Oliver rushed in that direction as thousands of different scenarios played in his mind. None of them were good.

As he got closer, he heard Chase's voice. "You tried to fool me! You shouldn't have done that!"

Before he uttered another word, Oliver pushed open the door. Chase had his back on him, typing on a computer. Felicity was tied on a bed, her body trembling, her eyes were fighting to stay open as she breathed heavily.

Oliver aimed the gun at Chase's head, the finger ready on the trigger but at the last second he aimed at the man's shoulder and shot. Chase screamed in pain as he fell to the floor. He was going to pay for whatever he did to her, but killing him was too easy.

Oliver didn't spare him a second glance as he rushed to Felicity, who was still trembling, her eyes almost rolled to the back of her head. There was some sort of red laser flashing in her face, and he shoved that machine away. He grabbed the wires connected to her temples and electricity shocked his hand. He quickly yanked away the wires and Felicity finally stopped shaking.

Oliver gently cupped her cheeks. "Felicity." He whispered. "Felicity, can you hear me?"

She was breathing hard as her eyes slowly blinked open. Oliver could see the terror in them.

"Oliver." She sobbed.

"It's okay." He yanked some sort of belt that went over her neck, then untied her hands and ankles. "It's all over, honey, I'm here."

His right arm went under her back, his left hand cradled her head as he hugged her close to him.

Oliver heard a commotion behind him, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Chase with a gun aimed at them, his eyes crazy. Oliver covered Felicity’s body with his, shielding her as much as he could.

Two quick shots echoed in the room.

He didn't feel pain, and it took him a few seconds to hear John speak a few feet away from him. "He's dead."

With a relieved sigh, he didn't even spare the man a glance, Oliver was focused on Felicity, who was whimpering in his arms, and when she didn't hug him back he frowned.

"Felicity?" He worriedly asked as he slightly pulled away, she was conscious but her body was limp.

His thumb ran over her wet cheek, and she slowly blinked up at him. He never saw her so scared.

"Felicity, are you hurt?" She still wasn't moving.

"He gave me some... kind of paralyzing drug." She stuttered, breathing hard. "Said it lasts a few hours. I… I can barely move."

Swallowing down his own fears, Oliver tried to stay calm for her sake. "It's okay." He whispered, pulling her closer. "I've got you. I'm going to take care of you, I promise." He kissed the crown of her head.

"Oliver." Lyla gently called him. "There's a team ready to get you back to ARGUS. We have doctors there that can get her checked out."

"No doctors." Felicity muttered, her body slightly trembling, this time in fear.

Oliver tightened his hold. "It's okay. I'll be there too, and I'm not going to leave you alone any time soon."

"I'm scared, Oliver." She whispered against his neck as her tears wet his skin. "I'm scared for our baby. What if something happened to them?"

Oliver unconsciously rested a gentle hand over her stomach as a shiver ran down his body, tears pooling in his eyes. He was scared too, and he didn’t even know the full extent of what Chase did to her.

Lyla cleared her throat next to them. "Do I need to call a specialist?"

Oliver glanced at her and nodded. She left to make a phone call.

"How is Ellie?" Felicity whispered.

Oliver ran his hands over her back to soothe her. "She's fine. Doctors checked her out. She needed a cast for her arm, but she's not hurt otherwise."

"Thank god."

"Yeah." Oliver pulled away a little and stared into her eyes. "I'm going to take you out of here. Okay?"

"Yes, please." Her voice cracked and Oliver kissed her forehead.

"Okay."

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chase is officially dead, and Richard Seldon will stay in prison for a veeeery long time!
> 
> So, now that the baddies are dealt with, we can focus on the fluff! Okay, a little bit of angst and then all the fluff!
> 
> See you tomorrow!


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all of you who took their time to read / comment / leave kudos! Here's a new chapter... Enjoy!

Oliver's hands were gentle as he picked her up, bridal style, and started to walk toward the door. Felicity purposefully avoided looking at the ground, where Chase was laying, dead. She tried to move her arms to wrap them around Oliver's shoulders, but she could barely lift her hands.

"It's okay, I've got you." Oliver whispered to her.

Not one to back down, Felicity gripped his shirt as strongly as she could, right over his heart. Her head was nestled against his neck, and she saw him smile.

"What?" She questioned.

He looked down at her. "You're such a strong woman." He kissed her forehead before looking in front of him.

Felicity sighed and relaxed in his arms, feeling safe again.

She realized they were in the same hallway she ran around more than once. "I tried to escape earlier. I couldn't find the exit, every room was empty and a dead end."

Oliver looked at the ceiling in front of them. "We came in from that hatch. We're underground, that's probably the only way out."

"Oh." She would have never found it.

Felicity noticed John was waiting for them, holding a ladder that went through the opening. He went up there and waited to help them.

Oliver maneuvered her so they were chest to chest, his right arm wrapped firmly around her waist. She tried to move her arms again and huffed when she couldn't do it, unwanted angry tears welled up in her eyes.

"Hey, hey." Oliver let go of the ladder and cradled her face with his left hand. "It's okay, I won't let you fall."

"I know, I..." She blinked fast, hoping to get rid of the tears. "I just feel useless. Powerless."

"Listen to me." He said in his calm voice. "You're not powerless or useless. You _never_ are. Okay?"

"But I am right now. Even if it's just for a few hours, I'm a liability, you-"

"Felicity, stop." He gently interrupted her. "I am going to be there for you as long as you need. Isn't this what marriage is about?" He wondered. "Be there for one another in moments of difficulty? To help and support each other?"

After a moment of hesitation, she replied to him. "Yeah."

"You were there for me during my trial. And don't even get me started on the last four years of our lives." Oliver gave her a small smile. "You've always been there for me. Let me be here for you now."

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Felicity sighed. "Okay." She replied weakly.

Oliver secured her in his arm and started to get on the ladder. With John's help, they were able to get on the floor without a problem. Oliver picked her up again, and they walked out of the building.

"How long was I missing?" Felicity asked, trying to distract herself from worrying about their baby, at least for a while. She felt Oliver tense.

"A little over five hours." He said, avoiding her eyes. He looked ashamed for some reason.

"What?"

Oliver briefly closed his eyes then glanced at her. "I found out you were... missing... four hours after they took you behind those doors. I asked and asked for news, but they didn't give me any." He shook his head. "I should have insisted more and sooner, instead of waiting four hours before snapping."

They reached the car, Oliver put her in the back seat and followed her, keeping her close to him and supporting her weight. Her head was on his shoulder as his arms were wrapped around her.

"Oliver." Felicity waited for him to look at her before continuing. "How could you know something was wrong? Please, don't take the blame, when the only person to blame for this is Chase." He was about to protest, she was sure, so she interrupted him. "You found me. That's what matters."

"I wish I did that sooner." He whispered against her temple, his hot breath making her sigh. She felt him hesitate, before he spoke again. "Was that electric shock?" His voice trembled.

Felicity closed her eyes. "Yes."

He tightened his hold on her. "How many times?"

"Only two. He did it one time, then I made him lose some time but he realized that, so he shocked me again. That was when you arrived."

Oliver sighed. "I wish I found you sooner." He repeated.

The driver door opened and John took a seat behind the steering wheel. "Okay, two specialized doctors are already on their way and will be at ARGUS before we arrive." He informed them as he started the car, a couple of ARGUS cars driving ahead of them. "Lyla is staying behind to handle the situation. We found a set up with cameras but everything has been erased. Might take a while to-"

"I have a copy." Felicity spoke up and glanced at Oliver. "When I... After I escaped, I found that room. While I called you, I copied the recordings he had, in case we needed proof to accuse him for everything."

With a steadying breath, Felicity started to tell him everything that happened. She told him about Chase's reasons for everything he did, from their linked pasts to making him pay through the trial. How he planned the accident, the murder of his ex before kidnapping Felicity, everything he confessed to her, and the electric therapy.

"Everything is on the drive I have in my pocket." She concluded.

Oliver was almost shaking at her side, and Felicity knew he was trying to maintain his calm for her sake. She could only imagine the thoughts that invaded his mind.

She saw John glance at her through the rearview mirror. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"Thanks, John." Felicity gave him a small smile, then turned to the man next to her. He was still silent, and she worried he was blaming himself once again. "Oliver?"

"I can't believe he did all of this for something that happened over ten years ago." A deep frown appeared on his face. "I... I don't remember ever meeting him before the trial, let alone remember I stole his girlfriend." He scoffed. "That woman, I saw her earlier and she... she really looked like you, but I didn't recognize her. I guess that just proves him right, that I don't care about-"

Oliver stopped talking when Felicity used all of her strength to grasp his hand tightly, making him look at her. "Oliver, like you said, that was ten years ago. She probably changed physically, making it hard to recognize her with just a glance. And don't ever say again that you don't care about people. Yes, maybe before the island you weren't the best boyfriend, but you've changed. You were young and naive."

"You don't know what kind of man I was, Felicity." Oliver sighed, avoiding her stare again. "Being young doesn't make it right how I treated girls back then. He was right, I used them."

"Hey... Don't let him get to you. You told me that everyone knew you were a womanizer, that means that those girls knew it too." Her words didn't seem to convince him. "But you've changed, and knowing you has changed my life." He looked at her then. "I wouldn't have fallen in love with you or wanted to marry you if I didn't know exactly the kind of man that you are _now_. You have done so much, you have saved mine and Ellie's lives so many times and in many different ways. You've opened up my heart in a way I didn't even know was possible. I love you, Oliver, nothing and no one will ever change that."

Felicity could see tears in his eyes and she was fighting back her own. Before they had the chance to say another word, the car stopped.

"We're here." John announced quietly.

A new wave of terror hit her at the prospect of receiving bad news on the baby. Oliver must have felt it, because he hugged her close and kissed the top of her head.

"It's going to be okay."

→

An hour later Felicity was laying on a bed, Oliver sitting next to her, his arms wrapped around her as they both cried.

"I... I'm not sure if I believe it." She confessed and Oliver tenderly kissed her head.

In her hands, she was gripping their new sonogram, their healthy baby a grey figure in the middle of it.

"We've heard the heartbeat. And both doctors said everything is fine." He reminded her, his hand running over her arm in a comforting way. "You're both fine."

With a sigh, Felicity turned in his arms to rest her head in the crook of his neck. She could move her hands and arms, and according to the doctors, it will take her less than an hour to move her legs too. With thorough blood analysis, they were able to determine that the drug Chase gave her was harmless for both her and the baby.

Oliver couldn't express with words how relieved he was at hearing that. So he just held Felicity and focused on comforting her.

There was a knock at the door.

"I'll go get it." He told her.

Oliver helped her to get comfortable and made his way to the door. He barely had the time to open it, then Oliver's legs were attacked by Ellie's one-arm hug.

"Hey, baby girl." His hands ran through her hair. "Come here." He bent down and picked her up, careful of her cast. He looked at his sister. "Thank you, Speedy."

"Don't mention it." She peeked inside and smiled at Felicity. "Hey. I'm glad you're okay."

"Thank you." She replied distractedly, her focus on Ellie.

Ellie heard her mother's voice and pulled away from Oliver's neck where she had hidden her face.

"Mommy." She whispered as tears welled in her eyes.

Oliver quickly walked to the bed and gently put their daughter next to Felicity.

"Ellie, please be careful." Oliver warned her. "Mommy is hurt too."

When Felicity picked her up and sat her on her lap, Ellie gingerly hugged her mother with her good arm. As soon as she was settled they both started to sob.

Oliver wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around both of them -the three of them,- to comfort them and protect them from everything.

His sister must have noticed that because she quietly cleared her throat and pointed at the hallway. "I'll leave you alone." He was about to protest that he didn't mind her presence, but she held up her hand. "It's right you stay with your family. I'll be back later." She turned around to leave.

"You're my family too, Speedy."

Thea smiled at him. "I know." She turned around and quietly closed the door.

"It's okay, sweetheart." He heard Felicity whisper to Ellie.

Oliver went to sit next to them and gathered them close to his chest.

"The doctors visited you for so long." Their daughter whimpered. "I was scared."

He felt Felicity tighten her hold on her. "I know. I was scared too, baby."

"They needed to make sure mommy was okay." Oliver tried to reassure her.

Ellie wiped her face with the sleeve of the hoodie she was wearing and sniffled. "Are you okay?"

Felicity nodded. "I'm fine." She cradled their daughter's face in her hands and wiped the tears that still ran down her cheeks. "Everything is okay. I am going to be okay. And daddy assured me that you are going to be okay."

She nodded. "The doctor said I have to keep this for a month." She said, showing Felicity her bright pink cast, making her smile a little.

"That's a nice color."

Ellie and Oliver looked at each other and they both smiled. "I told you she was going to like it."

She snuggled closer to Felicity, a contented sigh leaving her lips when she rested her head on her mother's shoulder.

Oliver looked at Felicity, a silent conversation going on. They nodded at each other.

It was time.

"Hey, Ellie..." Oliver started and she blinked her eyes open to look at him. "There's something mommy and I need to tell you."

"What?"

During the last few months, they dropped a few hints about the pregnancy, to see how Ellie felt about it.

_What would a little brother or sister think if you did that, honey?_

_That's what a big sister would say._

_Who knows... Maybe one day you'll have a little sibling to play with._

Every time they said something along those lines, Ellie seemed enthusiastic about it. It made them both feel better knowing Ellie was on board with this.

He felt Felicity take a deep breath as Ellie pulled back a little to look at them. "Ellie, sweetheart... In a few months, you will have a little brother…"

"Or a little sister." Oliver added.

They watched as her eyes widened, a big smile covering her face. "Really?" Was her whisper.

"Really." They said together.

Ellie launched herself at them and hugged them tightly, as best as she could with only one good arm. "That is so cool! I am so happy! When will he be here?"

They chuckled as they both ran their hands on Ellie's back and through her hair. "He or she," Oliver explained, "will be here in around six months."

Ellie leaned back again and looked at Felicity's stomach. "Is he in your belly? Like I was before I was born?"

Felicity smiled at her. "Yes. But we don't know if it's a boy, sweetheart. It could be a girl."

Ellie gently placed her tiny hands on her abdomen, and Oliver saw Felicity start to tear up at their daughter's action.

"It's a boy." Ellie said confidently, making them both laugh.

After hours of terror, they could finally relax and just be happy to spend some time together.

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you tomorrow with the next chapter!


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, here's the new chapter. Enjoy!

Oliver couldn't stop watching it.

He should have been resting, instead, he kept pressing the replay button on the tablet in his hands, that sickening voice sounding clear through the earphones, making him shake in anger.

After Felicity and Ellie fell asleep, cuddling with each other, Oliver had sat in the chair next to the bed and texted John. The man reluctantly brought him the tablet with the videos Felicity was able to copy.

He had watched the videos over and over again. He couldn't believe Chase did all of those things because of something Oliver did over ten years ago.

It wasn't like he killed Chase's father or something, he slept with his ex. His ex, who was consensual -every girl Oliver had been with was- and then she went back to Chase. Ultimately it was the ex who didn't want the man because he wasn't enough for her. According to Chase, he wasn't _Oliver_ enough.

It wasn't Oliver's fault if she preferred him to Chase.

As the video continued to play, he watched Felicity staying strong, not backing down whenever Chase tried to intimidate her, and it made Oliver proud of calling her his girlfriend, his fiancée, his future wife.

Then Chase mentioned their baby... Oliver wished the man was still alive so he could hurt him, _badly_.

ARGUS was also able to recover the videos of when Chase used the electric 'therapy' on Felicity.

Watching that had made Oliver feel sick to his stomach.

He startled when a hand touched his arm, too absorbed by the video playing on the device in his hands to notice Felicity had woken up.

"Hey." Oliver whispered, removing the earphones and running a hand over his face. He found it wet. He wasn’t sure when he had started to cry.

"Hey." Felicity whispered back, the frown on her face let him know she was worried. "Are you okay?"

Oliver nodded slowly. Then shook his head no. "I'm so sorry, Felicity."

"Oliver, if you apologize again for-"

"I know, I know. You don't think it's my fault." Oliver put the tablet aside and grabbed Felicity's hand with both of his. "I'm... I'm not apologizing for that -even if I know I will always blame myself for it.- I..." He cleared his throat. "I'm so sorry he scared you. I'm sorry you got hurt. And I'm sorry you had to listen to him as he threatened our baby."

Felicity closed her eyes with a sigh. "You've watched the video." She stated.

"Yes. And... You need to know how proud I am of you."

She opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Even if I could see you were scared, terrified, and hurt, you stayed strong. You didn't let him get into your head and play with your mind. You showed me how deep your faith in me is. Your trust and your love... they mean _everything_ to me." His voice wavered and tears pooled in his eyes.

Felicity wasn't doing any better as her tears ran freely down her cheeks.

"One more thing." Oliver closed his eyes for a brief moment, gathering his thoughts, then looked at her again. "I've heard what Chase said about my past. He was right. Years ago, I used girls, just... just to have fun, but they knew it. I've never promised them a future together because that was not who I was, I didn't care about having a stable relationship. But they knew it."

Felicity nodded. "You told me that."

"Yeah, but... I'm not sure if I've ever told you that _this_ ," he motioned between them, "was never a game. Since the first moment I met you, I knew that if one day we were going to be together... That was it. You were going to be the woman I'd marry."

With a trembling hand, Oliver reached inside his pocket and retrieved the engagement ring.

"He took it from me." Felicity whispered.

Oliver didn't want to tell her Chase put it on a dead woman's finger, so he just settled with "I got it back."

He gently grabbed her left hand, careful not to wake up Ellie where she slept on her mother's chest, and slid the ring right where it belonged. As soon as it was in place, Felicity tightly grasped his hand.

"Come here."

Oliver stood from his chair and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"I love you so much." She whispered against him.

"I love you too." Oliver rested his forehead against hers, his free hand cradling Ellie's head. "I love our daughter, and I love the baby that will be here soon. I'll prove it to you every day, for the rest of our lives."

"You don't have to. I already know it. And they know it too."

→

_Six months later._

Felicity dropped unceremoniously the box she had in her hands and sat on the couch with a sigh.

"Felicity?" Oliver's worried voice reached her. "Are you okay?"

She heard his quick steps approaching from behind before he was kneeling in front of her, his hands cradling her face.

"Remind me again why we didn't wait after the baby was born to move in here." She panted.

'Here' was their new house. They decided that the apartment was going to be too small for four people, so they bought a two-story house that also had a large garden and a pool.

As she caught her breath, Felicity saw Oliver relax. Since when the last month of her pregnancy had started, he became an adorable worried mess of a man. He helped her whenever she had to do something he considered too stressful for her or the baby, he made sure she ate enough healthy food. After reading to Ellie her bedtime story, he always talked to the baby when they were laying on their bed.

It was cute.

Oliver smiled at her. "You insisted to come here before this one," he rested a hand on her very pregnant belly, "joined us. You wanted to have everything settled, so when we will bring him or her back at home for the first time... It will be here." His smile slowly faded when he saw her reaction at his words. "And now I made you cry. Why are you crying, sweetheart?" His thumbs wiped away her tears.

Felicity slightly shook her head. "Nothing, just... I can't believe we're almost there." Then she started to laugh quietly.

_Our baby is almost here!_

"I'm sorry, these damned hormones. You'll... probably think I'm crazy."

"No." He told her quietly. "You're not crazy. You're just scared and, at the same time, excited at the prospect of meeting our baby. I know I am."

"Yeah."

For a few moments, Oliver and Felicity just smiled at each other.

"Okay." Oliver stood and clasped his hands. "What do I need to do with this box?"

"There are our clothes inside." Felicity explained. "And it's the very last box, then we're officially living here."

Oliver picked up the box and frowned. There were just clothes in it, but it was still pretty heavy. "Were you really going to carry this upstairs on your own? Felicity, you know you shouldn't-"

"Lift heavy weights, I know. I just wanted to be done with the 'moving in' part and enjoy our 'living in' part."

Oliver shook his head with a small smile. "You could have just told me to carry it for you, you know?"

"I know, but all you did, for the last five nights and mornings, was carrying _me_ up and down those stairs because I'm tired and can't see where I put my feet." She shrugged. "I didn't want to have you lift more weights."

He smiled sadly at her. "I don't mind carrying you when you're tired. Or even if you're not tired."

"But it's not like I'm a lightweight now." She mumbled to herself.

"Hey." He dropped the box and kneeled in front of her again, taking her hands in his. "I mean it, I don't mind. And please, tell me you didn't read again those articles."

Since the moment they announced the pregnancy to the public, the media did nothing other than criticizing her curves or her clothes choices. Oliver had found her one night crying in the bathroom because of some mean comments she had read about her. But, no matter what, Oliver was always supportive of her -even sued the reporters involved, making them lose their jobs for their unprofessional judgment.

"You are beautiful." Oliver told her, squeezing her hands. "A few more pounds or not, a nice dress or sweatpants, glasses or contacts, makeup or not, I don't care. You are always beautiful. _Always_."

Felicity believed every word he said. "Thank you. But no, I have not read those things, and I just meant... that I didn't want to bother you every time."

"You can bother me any time. You have to be careful with this one." He gently tapped her belly. "Ten more days."

She smiled. "Ten days." After 8 months and a half, ten days was nothing.

Ellie ran into the room, coming to a stop in front of the couch.

"Hey, baby girl." Oliver smiled at her.

"Daddy, mommy, look what I've found!" She exclaimed, showing them a stack of photos.

"Are those from the party for the baby?" Felicity asked.

"Yes!"

"Oh, I would really like to see them again." She said with a smile.

"Listen," Oliver said, "why don't you stay here and look at those as I finish upstairs?"

"Okay." Felicity replied to him absentmindedly, her hands itching to grab those photos.

He looked at Ellie. "Do you mind staying with mommy? She really needs a hug from her favorite girl."

Ellie smiled and gave him a firm nod. "I'll take care of them, daddy."

Felicity opened her arms, and Ellie went to sit on the couch next to her before hugging her, Ellie's free hand resting protectively over Felicity's belly. Felicity ran her hand through her daughter's hair.

"Don't stress too much, okay?" Oliver told her before picking up the box again.

"Alright." She conceded. "And thank you, Oliver."

He leaned down to give her a quick kiss. "You never have to thank me." He kissed the top of Ellie's head. "And you, don't stress mommy, understood?"

"Yes, daddy."

He left and almost ran upstairs, probably wanting to get over with the box so he could join them on the couch.

"Look at this, mommy." Ellie told her, giving her a picture.

Felicity smiled. She remembered that day as if it was yesterday.

It was four days after the car accident and the whole Chase thing, she had just left the hospital, her, Ellie and Oliver were finally returning home. Luckily, Oliver had warned her to not get scared, so when he opened the door and all of their friends shouted "Welcome home!" she was ready, and it was a nice surprise instead of a heart attack.

Like they did with Oliver's welcome home party, they quickly changed the theme to "We're going to have a baby!"

The picture Ellie was showing her was one John strategically shot just after they announced the news. There were Donna, Thea, Caitlin and Iris, all of them with their mouths hanging open, shock and joy clear on their faces.

In the next photo Ellie gave her, there was Donna hugging Felicity as they both cried in happiness. Her "I'm going to be a grandma again!" echoed in her head.

"I like this one." Ellie told her, showing her a picture of Roy, Thea, and Ellie in her old bedroom. They were all giving the camera thumbs up, the Robin Hood painting in clear view behind them.

It brought a smile on Felicity's face.

Ellie liked that painting so much that she wanted it in her new bedroom too. This time, though, she wanted to change the writing, from _My baby girl..._ to _Our baby girl..._ Because she was Felicity's daughter too and she didn't want to leave out her mother.

She requested a matching painting in the baby's room, the write only read _Our baby_ leaving out the girl or boy part because they still didn't know which one it was going to be. Every time they were ready for a visit to determine the gender, the baby was able to hide, so they were left with no answer.

"I think Tommy will like the one in his bedroom." Ellie said proudly.

Felicity sighed. That was the main reason why they wanted to know the sex of the baby. They didn't want to leave Ellie disappointed if it was going to be a girl.

"Tommy or Maya. Remember that we don't know which one is going to be." Felicity gently reminded her.

"Yeah, yeah." She said dismissively. Ellie was too convinced it was a boy.

Felicity chuckled, just when she felt a pain in her lower stomach that made her wince. She tried to focus back on what Ellie was telling her, but as minutes went by the pain became stronger.

"Hey, uh..." Felicity stood on unsteady legs, rounding the couch. "Ellie, I think we should call-"

A sharp pain interrupted her. She closed her eyes and breathed through it.

"Mommy?"

She heard Ellie's little feet get closer to her.

"Is it water on the floor?"

Felicity opened her eyes and looked down. Ellie was right, a large pool was on the floor at her feet.

Her waters just broke.

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's sad we're almost at the end of this fic, but I promise there will be one-shots to keep alive this universe. I'm not done telling stories about our favorite family!


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are with the last chapter of this fic! I want to thank all of you for your constant support, through your comments and your kudos, they mean a lot to me. So, thank you! 
> 
> Enjoy!

Oliver closed the last drawer of their dresser. They were officially living in the house, no more moving in, no more stuff to unpack. They just needed to enjoy their time together.

Oliver smiled and grabbed the empty box to put it in the garage with the others when he heard Ellie's scared scream echo in the house.

"Daddy! Mommy needs you!" With his heart in his throat, Oliver dropped the box and started to run. "She's in pain!"

_She's in pain._

The words he dreaded the most made him run so fast that he almost tripped on the stairs. Somehow he was sure it had something to do with the baby.

What if lifting the heavy boxes caused something bad? What if-

_No._

He immediately stopped that train of thought. When he reached the last step, he saw Felicity tightly gripping the back of the couch as she kneeled on the floor, one hand covering her belly, her face contorted in pain. He sprinted to her and fell to his knees in front of her. She startled when he cradled her face with his hands.

"Felicity, what's wrong?" His voice laced with worry. "Are you hurt? Is it the baby?"

"My waters broke." She whispered.

His eye caught a glimpse of the wet floor, and Oliver was sure he just paled in front of her.

"We're not ready." She continued. "We still have ten days, it's soon, I-"

"Hey, hey." Oliver pushed down his own fears and tried to use his soft voice to keep her calm. "We're ready, okay? We are. We just need to keep calm and get you to the hospital. And everything will be fine."

They stared at each other for a few moments, then Felicity nodded.

"Alright." He glanced at their daughter, who looked quite scared. "Everything is okay, sweetie, I promise. But I need you to go to the kitchen and grab my keys, they are on the table. Can you do that for me?"

She nodded and ran there. Oliver looked at Felicity again, who was watching him with wide eyes.

"It's going to be okay, honey. Just focus on your breathing, like we rehearsed."

Felicity gripped his forearm as another contraction must have hit her. Oliver wrapped his free arm around her back, his lips rested against her damp temple.

"It's okay, honey. Breathe it through, you're doing great."

He continued to whisper soft words, which he hoped were enough to comfort her, to give her some strength.

Ellie came back quickly and held out the keys for him, the bag they prepared for this day strapped over her shoulder.

"Here, daddy. I got the bag too, like you taught me."

"That's perfect, baby." He gave her a proud smile. "Is it too heavy or can you carry it to the car?"

"I can do it." She replied with a firm nod, then frowned. "But is mommy okay?"

"Yes, Ellie." Felicity whispered when she was able to breathe normally again.

"I need to help mommy get to the car." Oliver said and Ellie started to walk to the front door. Felicity looked at him.

"I'm scared, Oliver." She confessed. "I… with Ellie, I had a c-section. They just put me to sleep, and when I woke up she was there. I don't know if I can do this. I'm afraid I'll do something wrong or-"

"Hey, it's okay. You'll be amazing, you always are. And I'll be right there with you." He gave her a soft smile. "Come on, I'll take you to the car before I have to help you deliver our baby in our new living room." He half-joked and she gave him a small smile.

He picked her up and carried her to the car, where he put her on the back seat so she could lay down a bit. On her own, Ellie jumped in her car seat and buckled herself, having learned to do that after the car accident, for safety measures.

As he rounded the car, Oliver grabbed the phone from his pocket and dialed Thea. With the phone on speaker on the seat next to him, Oliver started the car, Felicity's heavy breathing coming from behind.

"Hi, Ollie." Thea's voice echoed in the vehicle.

"Thea, I need you to get to the Starling General." He loudly told her, his eyes firmly on the road. There was no way they were going to have an accident today because he was distracted.

"Oh, my- what happened?" Her voice worried.

"Felicity is in labor. I need someone to stay with Ellie while I'm in the room with Felicity as she-"

"Oh, god! Okay, yes, I'm- I'm actually pretty close to the hospital, I can be there in just a few minutes." She informed him, and Oliver let out a relieved breath.

"Thank you, Speedy."

"Don't even mention it. I can't wait to meet my nephew!" She said excitedly.

"Or niece!" Felicity's yell turned into a pained scream.

Oliver reached back with one hand and, after just a few seconds, Felicity gripped it hard.

"Hold on for a little while, honey."

→

_Breathe, Felicity._

_I know you can do this._

_You're doing great._

_One more time, honey._

_That's it, we're almost there._

_I'm right here with you, sweetheart._

For seven hours, Oliver had been so supportive during the labor. He kept whispering soft and encouraging words as he stroked her hair, his other hand tightly gripping hers. Or maybe it was Felicity who was crushing his, she wasn't sure which one.

Oliver just smiled every time she lashed out at him for being a man, meaning he will never give birth, so _No, Oliver, don't you dare to say again that you know it hurts!_ He didn't seem offended by that -he probably knew it was a mix of pain and fear talking- but she was going to apologize for it.

Later.

Right now, it didn't matter how tired she was, Felicity just wanted to hold their beautiful, healthy baby. The light and warm weight sleeping on her chest brought a fresh wave of happy tears in her eyes.

Felicity was laying on the hospital bed, Oliver's left arm went around her shoulders as the right secured Ellie on the bed where she sat next to Felicity's hip. Ellie was gently holding the baby's hand as she babbled excitedly.

"I can't wait for you to come home with us." She whispered. "You're going to like your room so much, Tommy."

Both Felicity and Oliver smiled. Ellie was right all along. It was a boy.

Their baby boy.

Thomas Smoak Queen.

The name choice hadn't been difficult, Felicity had always known Thomas was the right one. They both liked it, and she also knew it was important for Oliver. But he was the one who insisted on giving him the Smoak name too. "Ellie has it, Tommy should have it too. Besides, you gave birth to him, you went through pain and tears... It's only right he has the Smoak as first last name."

He was so tiny. He didn't look like Ellie when she was born, they were pretty different. Ellie looked like a copy of Felicity, while Tommy already looked like Oliver. Except for the pouty little lips, those he got them from his mother. They hadn't seen his eyes open yet, but she had a feeling that they were going to be piercing blue.

Felicity looked at Oliver. He was still silently crying, he hadn't stopped since when they heard their son's first cry. Just like his hands hadn't stopped shaking since the doctors let him cut the cord.

He probably felt her staring at him because he turned to her and smiled. There were no words to describe the joy she could see on his face. Oliver leaned down and tenderly pressed his lips to hers.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"You're thanking me?" He wondered with a small frown, but Felicity just smiled at him.

"Yes. Because you made this possible. You came into my life, our lives, and loved us unconditionally. You've cherished me more than I thought was possible. You've given me hope when I had none. You've helped me overcome my fears and doubts, you still do it today. You've cared about Ellie more than anything else, and it means the world to me. And now you've given me this pretty angel." She felt hot tears roll down her cheeks. "I love you, Oliver. And I'll forever be grateful to you for giving me this wonderful family."

As he listened to her words tears spilled from his eyes too.

"You are my life." Oliver roughly whispered. "You three are everything to me. And there won't be a day when I won't make sure you know how much I love you."

Felicity gave him another kiss and Oliver tightened his half embrace, Ellie next to them still quietly talking to Tommy.

They were all so happy.

→

_They were happy._

They brought Tommy home, and their family and friends reunited to celebrate. Everyone was ecstatic to meet the new member of the family, who brought only joy in their lives.

Oliver and Felicity couldn't get Ellie away from Tommy. She was so happy to have a little brother, someone new to love and care about, that she barely left his side.

_And they were happy._

In the months after the birth, they had to deal with a constantly crying newborn, who wanted to be fed and changed at any hour. They barely slept, but the smiles and laughs from Tommy and Ellie were worth it.

_And they were happy._

When John and Lyla offered to watch the children for a night, Oliver and Felicity planned to just sleep through it all, tired as they were. But one thing led to another and they were soon making out like teenagers.

When it was time to undress, Felicity started to have doubts -being their first time after Tommy's birth. But Oliver, that wonderful man, he was able to reassure her that he loved her, and a few more pounds would never change that.

Her insecurities faded away with his soft words and loving touch, and their night turned out to be one of the best of their lives.

_And they were happy._

Oliver and Felicity discussed for days, months later, when an angry ex-employee of QC threatened all of their lives. Oliver wanted them to go to a safe house, but Felicity insisted that Oliver and all of the security men he had hired were enough to protect them.

Felicity hacking police records to find the guy didn't make Oliver happy. They argued once again about Felicity risking her safety and taking even more risks with the law.

They tried to keep the discussions to themselves, but Ellie probably saw something between them because one day she straight up asked them if they were going to break up.

It made them open their eyes, that instead of arguing they needed to focus on staying united, as a couple and as a family.

Two days after their last discussion, Oliver agreed to let Felicity send an anonymous email to the police containing the last movements of the man. One hour later he was in handcuffs.

_And they were happy._

Just after Tommy's second birthday, their family and friends reunited again. This time they were all in fancy dresses.

Oliver in a tux, bow tie, and suspenders, Tommy with a matching little tux, and Ellie in a nice blue dress that brought out her eyes. And then there was Felicity in a white dress.

It was the most beautiful dress Oliver had ever seen.

As he stood, waiting, in their garden Oliver teared up when the music started to play. Ellie and Tommy walked side by side between the rows of chairs, occupied by their friends and family. Tommy carried the rings and Ellie threw flower petals to the ground.

Behind them, Felicity was barely holding back her tears as John walked her down the aisle. When she reached him, they smiled at each other.

They were finally there.

Oliver grabbed her hands and, as the officiant spoke, he never let them go, and neither did she. Their eyes never looking away.

Their voices trembled as they exchanged their vows. Their hands shook when they slid the wedding bands where they belonged.

And as soon as the words "You may kiss the bride” were spoken, Oliver leaned down to press his lips against hers, a chorus of happy yells, laughs and clapping hands surrounded them.

When they broke apart, they turned to their kids. Felicity picked up Tommy and Oliver picked up Ellie, before having a family hug.

No matter what life was going to throw at them, Oliver and Felicity knew that together they could face anything.

Because love was the most powerful emotion they’ve ever felt, and there was no better way to continue their life together but with love.

_And they were all happy._

→

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that was it. It's sad when a story finishes, but I promise I will write more. Like the snippets I put in this chapter, I'm planning on writing one-shots about them. So, if you'd like to read them, make sure to subscribe to the series!


End file.
